


How the Other Half Lives

by QianLan



Series: Historical AUs [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Barnstorming, Costume Parties & Masquerades, F/F, F/M, If you've seen the musical or the film it makes sense, Implied white slavery, M/M, Minor Violence, Misunderstandings, Mugging, Mutual Pining, Pickpockets, Pilots, Secret Identity, Speakeasies, Thoroughly Modern Millie AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-24 13:26:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8373856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QianLan/pseuds/QianLan
Summary: 1925: Rey and Finn leave their father’s mansion behind to try out life in the city.She’s got a plan.  He’s there to keep an eye on her.But nowhere in her plan did Rey figure on Jess Pava, the beautiful flapper living across the hall.  And Finn can’t seem to shake Poe Dameron, the irritating guy who rescued him from a mugging.There will be drinking and dancing, misunderstandings and masquerade balls.  There will be stunt pilots and secretaries, orphans and old loves.  There will be a kidnapping and trips to the clink, and if everyone gets their wish, things just might end with a kiss.COMPLETE





	1. Miss Phasma's Hotel for Young Ladies

**Author's Note:**

> Last week I was listening to the Thoroughly Modern Millie soundtrack when I saw @radio-silents awesome 1920s AU (link at the end of chapter one) and I suddenly had the urge to write a Thoroughly Modern Millie 1920s AU. Several thousand words later, here we are.
> 
> I have definitely borrowed a few plot points (as well as my title) from the musical. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

 

 

**September 1925**

“So let me get this straight, you two want to go into the city, find jobs, and support yourselves because…”  He let it hang there, hoping one of his children would be able to fill in the blanks.

 

“Because it’s time for a change.  It’s 1925, papa!  We should be out there, living.” 

 

Han tried not to roll his eyes at his daughter, who continued, “Besides, we’re too isolated here.  The only people we ever meet are other rich, bored swells.  We need to get out and meet some real people.”

 

“Real people?”  Han looked over to Finn, who shook his head. 

 

“Don’t look at me.  This is her idea, not mine.”

 

Rey jumped up.  “Finn, you said you’d—”

 

“I said I’d go along with this, but I didn’t say I’d like it.  Personally, I like living in a mansion and having money.  Or do you not remember what it was like on the streets?”  He crossed his arms in front of him.  “Because I do,” he mumbled.

 

Rey stuck her tongue out at him.  “Of course, I remember.  And it won’t be like that.”

 

“Really,” both men asked.

 

“No.  First of all, we’ll have _some_ money.  Papa Han said he’d give us $50 apiece to start off.  And then we’ll be able to earn the rest.  We’ll get real, paying jobs.  It’s not like we’re going back to Hell’s Kitchen, Finn.  Plus, we can always come back if it doesn’t work out.”

 

“Or if you get lonely,” Han said.  _Did I really just say that?_   He turned to Chewie, who was trying hard not to laugh.  “Not that I’m gonna be lonely…”

 

“Well, I am,” Finn said, frowning. 

 

Rey rolled her eyes.  “Will you two just give this a chance?”  She bumped her shoulder into Finn’s.  “Come on!  It’ll be fun.”

 

“Yeah.  Fun.”  He shared a worried look with his father.

 

**# # # #**

 

Han gave each of them $50 cash and a kiss on the forehead as they bundled themselves into the car.  “Chewie,” he said, “drive careful, okay?”

 

The other man nodded and got into the car.

 

As it drove away, Han’s heart clenched.  _I’m not ready for this._

_They’re just kids._

 

He closed his eyes and focused on an image of Finn and Rey when he’d first met them…

 

**August 1910**

It had been exactly two months since his break-up with Leia.  During that final year with her, he’d been a regular in just about every bar on the Upper East Side and he was quickly wearing out his welcome.  That’s when he’d started venturing a bit further south. 

 

Eventually, he ended up in Hell’s Kitchen.

 

Coming out of a bar one night a bit worse for the wear, he was accosted by two pairs of hands.  Han reckoned they didn’t know who they were dealing with or they would’ve steered clear.  Because even drunk, he still had quick reflexes.  He grabbed the wrist of one of them—a little girl.  She squealed and the little boy, who was already half a block away—Han’s pocket watch dangling from his hands—turned and ran back, intending on giving Han a bit of his own.

 

Chewie had been waiting for Han just outside the bar.  He calmly pushed himself off the wall and grabbed the boy in a bear hug.

 

The girl started pulling and the boy started kicking and letting loose a litany of words Han thought only sailors knew.

 

“Okay, okay.  That’s enough!”

 

When they didn’t stop, he roared, “I said that’s enough!”

 

Both children went still and quiet. 

 

“That’s better.”  He looked over the two of them and frowned.  The little boy was about ten years old, as close as Han could figure.  The girl was a pale little thing with ratty hair.  He guessed she was about seven or eight.  They were dirty, malnourished, and clearly scared out of their wits.   He shook his head.

 

“What do you think, Chewie?”

 

Chewie didn’t speak English, so to the children, it sounded as if he was speaking gibberish with a mouthful of marbles.

 

Han simply nodded and said, “Me too.”  He turned to the kids.  “So you realize that what you were trying to do was illegal?”

 

“So what,” said the boy.

 

“So?  I should call the cops, have them come get you.”  The pure terror in both of their eyes hurt Han to his very core, but he had a part of play.  “Or I might see my way to not pressing charges…”

 

“Please,” said the little girl.

 

“Rey,” the boy hissed.

 

Han asked, “You two have any family?”

 

“That’s none of your business,” the little boy said.

 

Han raised an eyebrow.  “I’ll take that as a _no_.  You have any people you live with?  Friends or anything?”

 

“We do fine on our own,” the boy said.

 

“Yeah, right.”  Han sighed.  _I can’t believe I’m gonna do this_.  “You have any belongings?  Anything you can’t live without?”

 

“Why,” asked the boy.

 

“Because I’m gonna take you home with me, but if you’ve got some precious teddy bear or something…”

 

“We ain’t kids,” the little boy spat out.

 

“Uh-huh,” Han said, smiling.  “Just get in the car.”

 

“No,” the boy shouted.  He started struggling against Chewie.  The girl soon followed suit.

 

“HEY,” yelled Han.  “Listen to me, this is your choice: jail, the orphanage, or back home with me.  Which is it?”

 

The two children shared a pitiful look.

 

“Fiiiiinnnnnnnn,” the girl whined.

 

“Fine,” said the boy.  “We’ll go with you.”

 

“Good,” Han said.  “Now, get in the car.”

 

As they drove back to Han’s apartment, he asked, “You two have names?”

 

The boy’s arms were crossed in front of his chest.  He had a steely look in his eyes. 

 

 _Oh, this one’s tough_ , Han thought.  He looked to the little girl and raised an eyebrow. 

 

“I’m Rey, and this is Finn,” she said.

 

“Han.  And that’s Chewie.”

 

“So what are you gonna do with us,” the boy asked.

 

Han wanted to laugh.  _So much bravado for such a young kid._

 

“I’m gonna get you something to eat, maybe some new clothes.”  He shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Hadn’t really thought it through.”  He cocked his head towards Chewie.  “Chewie and I grew up on the streets, but we caught a few breaks and now, we’re doing okay.  Figured you two could use a break of your own.”

 

Rey stuck her head out of the [car](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Model_Thirty).  “Where are we going?”

 

“Fifth Avenue,” Han said.  “I have a penthouse there.  Plenty of room for two more orphans.”

 

The boy frowned.  “Nobody gives you something for nothing, mister.  So why are you doing this?”

 

Han shook his head.  “Because it’s the right thing to do, kid.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Sure enough, he took them home, fed them, cleaned them up, and put them to bed.

 

Standing in the doorway of one of the guest rooms, watching the two kids asleep on a king-sized bed, Han felt something in him break.  _What in the hell are you doing, Solo?_   He walked back to the living room and collapsed onto the couch.

 

“Do you want me to get in touch with an orphanage,” Chewie asked in Czech.

 

Han shook his head.

 

“Han, are you sure you can—”

 

“No orphanage,” he said firmly.  “I…I’m not doing that to them, and I’m not sending them back out onto the streets either.”

 

“So?”

 

“So, we’ll just see what happens.”

 

Chewie nodded.  He’d been worried about his friend for a while.  First, with Ben leaving and then with Leia, but now…  Chewie turned to look down the hall at the bedroom where the two kids were sleeping.  _Maybe this is what he needed_.

 

**# # # #**

 

Han never did come up with a plan, but one night turned into two turned into three and before he knew it, it was a year later and he had officially adopted Finn and Rey and moved them out of the city and into a sprawling home on Long Island.

 

Now, fifteen years later, his heart was breaking as he watched his kids leave the nest.  He shook his head as he walked back inside the house.  “You’ve gotten way too soft, Solo.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Rey couldn’t contain her glee on the ride into the city.  She was nearly bouncing out of her seat.

 

“Would you calm down,” Finn said, leaning on his hand and staring at the world passing them by.  _Why couldn’t we just stay at home?_   He sighed. 

 

The idea was simple enough: Rey had proposed that she and Finn go into the city and try to make a go at supporting themselves.  She’d sold it to both Finn and her father by suggesting that she and Finn were getting too complacent.  They needed to learn some self-reliance.

 

Finn knew that was hogwash.  Rey was up to something.  And the only reason he’d agreed to her scheme was to keep an eye on her. 

 

Still, Finn hated to admit it, but his little sister might’ve been right.  The closer it got to the start date of this crazy adventure, the more anxious he became.  _They’re gonna eat me alive in the city_.

 

He tried to remember what it had been like as a kid out on the streets, but any more, he couldn’t remember what was real and what his brain had cooked up in the last fifteen years.

 

Finn did remember that his parents had died when he was seven.  He’d been sent to an orphanage, and that’s where he’d met Rey.  They bonded instantly, and soon, you never saw one without the other.  So when he’d hatched his escape plan, Rey was right there beside him.

 

They’d been on the streets for about two years when they met Papa Han.

 

Finn never knew why he didn’t try harder to get away from the old man that first night.  Something about the glint in Han’s eyes told Finn they’d be safe with him.

 

As it was, it ended up being the best thing that had ever happened to him or Rey.

 

Han turned out to be Han Solo, millionaire recluse, and while he might’ve liked to pretend he was a hardened and heartless businessman, it quickly became clear to both Finn and Rey that Han Solo was a big ‘ol sweetie.  And Chewie?  Chewie had to be just about the nicest being in the entire galaxy.  Even if it was still hard to understand him. 

 

As they learned, their Papa (as Han had insisted on being called—he hated _Dad_ for some reason) had started out on the streets himself.  He’d met up with Chewie when he was still a teenager (and he learned Czech in the process) and the two of them had spent several years scheming and stealing, but over time, they’d gone legit.  Han was clever and quick and when he started building up a real shipping business, it didn’t take long for it to become immensely profitable.  By the time he was 31, he had made his first million dollars.

 

He loved to tell the kids stories about his days on the streets and when he’d been first starting out in business.

 

What he was less keen to talk about was what happened after he’d made his fortune.  Over the years, Finn had been able to piece together that sometime after Han’s business had taken off, he’d met Leia Organa, the famous journalist and aviatrix (and possibly princess—it was rumored that she and her twin brother were descended from royalty). 

 

Anyway, Han had helped Leia out of a jam, and in the process, they’d fallen in love.  They got married; they had a son, and for a few years, they had been blissfully happy together.  But then something had gone wrong.

 

Finn never had been able to get either Han or Chewie to tell him what happened.  But whatever it was, it devastated Han.  He pulled back from his friends, turned most of his business over to the board of directors, and retreated into his apartment.

 

Finn knew that if he and Rey had stayed out on the streets, things would’ve been bad, but he had also always figured that if he and Rey hadn’t stumbled into Han’s life, Han would’ve killed himself with his drinking sooner or later. 

 

So in many ways, they all saved each other.

 

Finn frowned, staring out the car window.  _What’s he gonna do without us around_?  Finn sighed.  _What am I gonna do without him around?_

Finn shook his head.  _Twenty-five, going back to the city, and I’m already homesick_.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Uh, I think you got the address wrong,” Finn said, squinting up at the sign for Miss Phasma’s Hotel for Young Ladies.  _What a dump!_

 

“No,” Rey said, “This is it.”

 

“Rey,” Finn whispered.  “This place doesn’t look like it’s on the level.  Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stay somewhere a little more…”

 

Rey raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

 

“…safe?”

 

“This place is perfectly safe, Finn.”  She slapped his shoulder.  “Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?”

 

“At home, where it should be.”

 

“No!  You promised that you’d do this with me.”

 

Finn sighed.  “I know.”  He shook his head and mumbled, “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

 

“Oh, take off your high hat and help me with my things.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Once he had Rey settled in at Miss Phasma’s, Finn told Chewie to head home and he started out on foot to find the boarding house Chewie had suggested on the Upper West Side.  Nothing against Rey, but if he was going to be roughing it, he was going to do it in a slightly nicer part of town.

 

It only took him about three blocks to realize he was lost. _Hell_ , he thought.  _I used to live here.  This shouldn’t be that hard!_

 

Finn looked down at the directions Chewie had given him and was so absorbed in trying to figure out where he’d gone wrong that he didn’t hear the three men approach.  Suddenly, though, someone had grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.  As he looked up, another man started pushing him backwards, and before he knew it, he was against a brick wall and the three men had him surrounded.

 

“Give us your wallet, chump,” the first one said.

 

“And if I don’t?”

 

The second one flicked open a switchblade.  “Oh, I think you will.”

 

_This is why I didn’t want to come back to the city._

 

Finn gritted out, “It’s in my pocket.”

 

The third one fished out his wallet.  “Many thanks,” he sneered.

 

“Hey,” said a voice from the end of the alley.  “What’s going on?”

 

“None of your business,” the first one said.

 

“Yeah,” said number two.

 

“Oh, I think it is my business,” the man said.

 

Number three punched Finn in the stomach, and the three men scrambled towards the other end of the alley.

 

Finn doubled over and watched them disappear.

 

His savior came running up.  “You okay, buddy?”

 

“Yeah,” Finn groaned, standing back up.

 

“You sure,” said the man, putting his hand on Finn’s shoulder.

 

Finn looked up into the prettiest set of brown eyes he’d ever seen. He couldn’t help but smile.   “Yeah, everything is jake.”  He started brushing himself off.  Then, he felt his pocket. “Hell!”

 

“What is it?”

 

“They got my wallet.  That’s all the money I had!”

 

“How much?”

 

“Fifty bucks.”

 

“Fifty?”

 

Finn nodded.

 

“Are you fried or something?  What in the name of [John F. Hylan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Francis_Hylan) are you doing with fifty bucks in your wallet?!?  Never carry more than a few dollars with you, buddy!  And especially don’t carry all of your money in one place.  There are some nasty people out and about.”

 

“Yeah, I can see that,” Finn said, scowling.

 

“I take it you’re not from around here?”

 

“Not exactly,” Finn said.

 

“Look, no offense, mister, but I’m thinking you might be better off back in Kansas or wherever it is you came from.”

 

“Kansas,” Finn asked, shaking his head.  _Does this sap really think I’m from Kansas?_

 

“Yeah, or wherever.  Like I said, the city is rough.”  He started trying to brush Finn off.  Finn swatted his hands away.

 

“I can take care of myself.”

 

“Obviously,” the man said dryly.

 

“And who the heck are you?”

 

“Oh yeah, sorry.”  He held out his hand.  “Poe.  Poe Dameron.”

 

Finn quickly shook it.  “Well, thanks for scaring off those hoods, Poe, but I think I can take it from here.”

 

“You gotta place to stay, Kansas?”

 

“I’m not from Kansas,” Finn roared.  Then, he realized that he’d just lost all his money.  “And no,” he said much more quietly.

 

Poe laughed.  “Thought not.  Look, there’s a place about a block from here.  The Resistance Towers Hotel for Young Men.  Mister L’ulo runs the joint.  Nice guy.  Tends to look the other way if people can’t pay.”

 

“I can pay!”

 

“Yeah, sure.”  Poe shrugged.  “Look, you go in, you stay the night and then you wire back to Kansas to get the return fare home.  There’s no shame in it.  You tried out the city, and it’s not for you.”  He pointed down the street.  “It’s a block that way on the right.”  He started out of the alley.  “You sure you’re gonna be all right?”

 

“I’m fine,” Finn spat out.

 

“Okay, Kansas.  Take care.”  And with that Poe Dameron walked away.

 

**# # # #**

Rey stared at the room.  A bed, a desk, a chair and a table lamp.  That was it.  Back at home, this whole space could fit in her closet.  She smiled.  _This is gonna be fantastic!_

 

A voice from behind her said, “It ain’t the ritziest room in the world, but Miss Phasma runs a clean joint.”

 

Rey spun around to see a small woman with a black bob.

 

The woman held out her hand.  “Jess.  Jess Pava.”  She pointed to the door behind her.  “I’m across the hall.”

 

“Rey,” Rey said, shaking the woman’s hand.

 

“Just Rey?”

 

 _Nooooo!  I didn’t think of a fake name_.  “Rey…Kenobi.”

 

“Kenobi?” She wrinkled her nose.  “Is that French or something?”

 

“Or something,” Rey smiled. 

 

Jess looked the new girl up and down.  _Straight off the bus from Hicksville, I figure_.  Then, she met Rey’s eyes.  _They sure do make ‘em pretty in Hicksville, though._

 

Rey blushed under such intense scrutiny.  “What is it?”

 

“Oh,” Jess said, snapping herself out of her trance.  “We just don’t get a lot of the prim and proper types here.  Most of the girls at Miss Phasma’s are modern, you know?”

 

“Flappers?”

 

“Yeah, and a few jazz babies,” Jess said.  “After a while, you see it all.”

 

“How long have you been here?”

 

“Me?  I’m a veteran.  I’ve been living at Miss Phasma’s for nearly seven months.”

 

“Wow,” Rey said.

 

Jess nodded.  “Yeah, well, it beats where I grew up.”

 

“Where’s that?”

 

“That,” said Jess.  “Wait.  Why don’t we sit down, as this seems to be turning into a real conversation.”  She motioned to her room.

 

Rey closed her door and followed Jess across the hall.  Jess’s room was full of bottles, books, and old newspapers.  And her clothes were strewn everywhere.  “Wow,” Rey said, picking a pair of stockings up off a bookshelf.

 

Jess grabbed at the stockings and stuffed them into her pocket.  “Oh yeah.  Sorry about that.  I’m not the neatest girl in the world.”

 

“No!  I like it.  Looks lived in.”

 

Jess smiled.  “Thanks.”  She pointed to the bed.  Rey moved aside a pair of shoes and a jacket and sat down.  Jess took the chair, sitting on an old newspaper.  “So, as I was saying, this place beats where I grew up, which was back in North Dakota on a cattle ranch.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really.  You aren’t gonna find someone who sits a better saddle in the whole of Manhattan, I can promise you that.”

 

Rey smiled.  “So why’d you come out here?”

 

“Are you kidding?  Any place is better than the ranch.  Besides, I have a plan.”

 

“A plan?”  _A kindred spirit._ Rey smiled.

 

“Yeah.  The plan is to—”

 

There was a knock on the door.  A tall dark-skinned woman with light hair poked her head in.  “Jess, could I borrow that one necklace?  The one with the…”  she made a sort of V with her fingers, “that hangs to about here?” She pointed to the middle of her chest.

 

“Yeah, sure.”  Jess got up and walked to a box on her desk.  “Karé Kun, this is Rey Kenobi.  Rey, this is Karé Kun.  She lives just down the hall.”  Jess handed the necklace to Karé.  “Rey just moved into Sarah’s old room.”

 

“Sarah left?”

 

“I guess so.”

 

“Strange,” Karé said.  “Well, it’s good to meet you, Rey.  You need anything, I’m in room 304.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

Jess walked back over to the chair.  “So where were we?”

 

“Plans,” Rey said.

 

“Oh yeah, well, it’s boring, but the point is, I have a plan so that I never have to be around sweaty cattle ever again.  How about you?”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yeah.  What’s your story?  Why are you here?”

 

“Oh,” Rey said.  She’d known she was going to need a backstory, but she hadn’t honestly thought she’d need it this soon.  “Uh, I’m an orphan.  I grew up in upstate New York with my brother, Finn, and after we got out of the orphanage, we worked odd jobs and saved our money so we could come here.”

 

“Why here?”

 

“Why not?”

 

Jess gave her a look that said she wasn’t buying it.  Rey leaned forward.  She’d never told anyone, not even Finn, why she really wanted to do this.  “Promise not to laugh?”

 

Jess shrugged.  “Sure.”

 

“I wanna be an actress.  On the stage.”

 

Jess smiled.  “I could tell.”

 

“You could?”

 

“Come on, you’re beautiful.  You had to be an actress or something like that!”

 

“You think I’m beautiful,” Rey asked.

 

Jess blushed.  “Yeah, well, don’t let it go to your head.  From what I hear, it’s hard to break in to the acting business.  Even for beautiful girls.”

 

Rey smiled.  “I know.  I’m not afraid of a little hard work.”

 

“Good,” Jess said, and then she made the mistake of getting lost in Rey’s hazel eyes.  _You have the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen._  

 

“Jess?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You’re staring.”

 

 _KRIFF!_   “Uh, oh yeah, right!  Have you eaten yet?”

 

“No,” Rey said.

 

“Good,” Jess grabbed Rey’s hand and walked to the door.  “It’s time for dinner, and we don’t want to be late.  The girls here are the worst—if you want food, get to meals early.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Kansas,” yelled a booming voice as Finn stood fiddling with the lock on the door to his room.

 

He groaned as he turned around and faced none other than Poe Dameron.  “The name’s Finn.”

 

“Good to meet you, Finn.”  He turned to the tall bearded man next to him.  “Snap, this is Finn.  Finn, Snap.”

 

Finn held out his hand as Poe continued talking.  “Finn here is newly arrived in our city.  Just about to head back home to the safety of Kansas.”

 

“Oh really,” Snap asked.

 

“No, not really,” Finn said, turning back around to unlock his door.  “I actually aim to stay.”

 

“You sure about that,” Poe asked.

 

Finn had never in his life wanted to punch someone so badly.  “Yeah, I think I’ll be okay.”

 

Poe shrugged.  “Well, if you ever need anything, I’m right across the hall.”

 

_Of course you are._

 

“And Snap is just down the way in room 503.”

 

“503.  Got it.”  Finn nodded to the two of them and went into his room, flinging himself on the bed.  _This can’t possibly get any worse._

 

 

 

 

Here's a link to @radio-silents [awesome 1920s AU art](http://radio-silents.tumblr.com/post/151967643404/ask-me-about-my-20s-star-wars-au)

 

 


	2. Stardust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone catches up, Rey meets a talent agent, the girls drag Finn to a speakeasy, and someone ends up in the clink.

 

 

“You sure about this, Kenobi?  Personally, I’ve got nothing against long hair.  It’s kinda nice,” Jess said.  _Especially yours_.

 

“Nope.  If I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna do it right.  That means new clothes and bobbing my hair.”

 

Jess smiled, opening the door to the salon.  “Well, okay then.  Let’s get rid of those curls!”

 

**# # # #**

About a week before they’d started on this crazy adventure, Finn had asked Papa Han to set him up with a job at Solo Shipping.  Nothing high up or anything.  Just a boring desk job.  He knew that Rey would be mad, but he was in no mood to play along with her _it’ll be fun to be poor_ game.  Besides, this gave him a chance to see how his father’s company really worked without all of the usual sycophants, who only saw him as one of the Solo heirs.

 

Thankfully, most of those types were in upper management; they were also the only ones who knew his real identity as Finn Solo, so he was able to pass as just another regular guy with his new co-workers.  Rey had told him about their new last name, so he’d been introducing himself as Finn Kenobi all week.  And so far, it had worked.  No one knew he was really Mr. Solo’s son.

 

He’d settled in at work, and he’d managed to make enough money to pay his rent to Mr. L’ulo (who was incredibly nice), so Finn figured it was time to find out what his sister was really up to. 

 

That meant on a brisk Thursday night, he showed up to Miss Phasma’s and waited in the lobby to take his sister out to dinner.  When she came downstairs, she was accompanied by a young woman with a smart black bob.  For a moment though, Finn gawked. Something didn’t add up—something was off.

 

Then it hit him.  Rey had gone modern. 

 

“What did you do to your hair,” Finn said as the two women got closer.

 

“You like it?”  Rey stopped and spun around

 

And that’s when Finn noticed the fringed dress Rey was wearing.  “And what are you wearing?”

 

“Isn’t it great?  It’s the latest style.  Jess let me borrow it.”

 

“Jess?”

 

“So _this_ is your brother,” the other woman said, nodding approvingly.

 

“Jess, this is Finn.  Finn, this is my friend, Jess.”

 

Finn’s mouth hung open and his eyes stayed on his sister as he held out his hand and absently said, “Nice to meet you, Jess.”

 

“Nice to meet you too, Finn.”  Jess smiled—Finn was still clearly in shock over his sister’s new look.  “Uh, well, I’ve got a dinner date with an old friend.”  She pulled her hand from Finn’s.  “You two have a good night.”

 

“Bye, Jess,” Rey said.  She turned to her brother.  “Finn!”

 

“Oh yeah, bye Jess!”

 

Rey frowned.  “You hate the hair, don’t you?”

 

Finn chuckled and held out his arm.  “Just took me by surprise is all.  It’s a whole new Rey.”

 

Rey took his arm and smiled.  “Where are we going?”

 

“There’s a diner down the street that looks promising,” Finn said.

 

**# # # #**

 

Jess plopped down in the booth across from Poe.  “I have a problem.”

 

“Hello to you too, Jess.”

 

“Hi, Poe.  I have a problem.”

 

Poe looked up from his menu to study his friend.  He raised an eyebrow.

 

“A new girl moved in across the hall.”

 

“And?”

 

“And she is the single most beautiful woman in the entire galaxy.”

 

Poe laughed.  “And why is that a problem?”

 

“Do you remember the plan, Poe?”

 

“Testor, you aren’t still going forward with the plan, are you?”

 

“You bet your sweet smile I am!”

 

“Jess,” he groaned.  “The plan is stupid.”

 

“Says you,” she crossed her arms.  “I say it’s brilliant.”

 

He shook his head.  “Testor, Testor, Testor.”

 

“Poe, I’m not gonna give up on the plan.”

 

“So what are you gonna do about the most beautiful girl in the world?”

 

“In the galaxy, Poe.”

 

“Right.  What are you gonna do about her?”

 

“That’s the problem,” Jess sighed.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn stared at his sister over his cup of coffee.  “Okay, spill.  We’ve been here a week.  Tell me why we’re doing this.”

 

“I told you.  We’re doing it because—”

 

“Rey, Papa Han might believe that story, but I don’t.  There’s a reason we’re here, and it has nothing to do with getting soft or whatever other hooey you’ve been spewing.  So spill.”

 

Rey pursed her lips.  Her forehead bunched.

 

Finn cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

 

They’d had these kinds of stare-offs since they were kids.

 

Usually Rey won, but Finn was determined to wait her out tonight.

 

Eventually, Rey huffed, “Fine!  But you have to promise not to tell Papa Han.  He’ll be mad.”

 

Finn closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.  “Okay, I promise.”

 

“I wanna be an actress.”

 

Finn opened his eyes.  “What?”

 

“I want to be an actress.”

 

“That’s it?”

 

“Yeah, that’s it.  What did you expect?”

 

“I don’t know, but something more than that.”  He considered it for a moment.  “An actress, huh?  I think you’d make a tremendous actress.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah.  Why not.”

 

Rey smiled and relaxed into her booth.  “I really thought you’d be mad.”

 

“Why?”

 

She shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I just figured you and Papa Han would want to protect me from that kind of life.”

 

Finn smiled and took her hand.  “Peanut, as long as you’re happy.”  He squeezed her hand and let it go, picking up his coffee.  “So, you started going to auditions yet?”

 

Rey nodded and then began telling him the story of her disastrous first audition.

 

**# # # #**

 

As they walked back to her place, Rey said, “I feel like we spent the night talking about me.  What about you?  How did your first week go?”

 

“Pretty good.  I’m staying at the Resistance Towers about three blocks over.  And I have a job.”

 

“You found a job?”

 

“Uh, sort of.”

 

“What do you mean _sort of_?”

 

“Promise you won’t get mad?”

 

“Finn.”

 

“I sorta had Papa Han get me a job at Solo Shipping.”

 

“Finn,” Rey said, hitting his shoulder.  “That’s cheating!”

 

“I know, but I’m really only doing this to keep an eye on you.”

 

She frowned.  “Finn Solo, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

 

“I know that.”  He smiled.  “And it’s Finn Kenobi now, if you don’t mind.”

 

Rey laughed despite herself.  She took his arm and continued towards her place.  “So what else?  Made any new friends yet?  What are the people in your building like?”

 

Finn groaned.  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Finn, don’t be a wet blanket.  You’ve got to give me something.”

 

“Fine.  There’s a horse’s ass who lives across the hall.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah.  He has to be the single most obnoxious person I’ve ever met.”

 

“What did he do?”

 

Finn stopped and scratched the back of his neck.  He refused to meet Rey’s eyes.  “Ummmmm, I may have forgotten to tell you that that first day, after I dropped you off at Miss Phasma’s, I sort of got mugged just a little bit.  Maybe.”

 

“Finn!”  She hit his arm.

 

“I’m fine, Rey.  They caught me off guard is all, just took my wallet.  Anyway, this guy comes to help me and scares off the guys mugging me.”

 

“That sounds nice.”

 

“I guess,” Finn grumbled.  Rey raised an eyebrow.  Finn snorted.  “Look, I know I’m probably being a jerk about this, but the guy treated me like I was a rube.  Told me that I couldn’t handle the big city and that I should just go back to Kansas.  Me!  The kid who grew up here!  Well, long story short, he ends up living right across the hall from me.”

 

“No!”

 

“Yeah,” Finn said, “and as if that weren’t bad enough, he comes by last night and tries to apologize for everything.  _Sorry, Kansas.  I guess I really stuck my foot in my mouth, buddy._   Gah!”

 

“Wait, I’m confused.  This guy rescues you from muggers and then apologizes for calling you a rube and you’re still mad at him?”

 

“It’s…” Finn threw his arms in the air.  “I don’t know, Rey.  That guy just gets under my skin.”

 

Rey smiled.  _Oh Finn_.  “That’s terrible.”

 

“Did I mention he calls me Kansas?”

 

Rey’s smile grew.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Next,” came an annoyed voice from the other room.

 

Rey took in a deep breath and let it out.  _I can do this_.

 

Kylo Ren was the head of one of the biggest talent agencies in the city.  He had a reputation as a bit of an ass, but he got people work.  And Rey was getting desperate.

 

She pushed back her shoulders, raised her chin, and started in. 

 

A tall, lanky man dressed in a black suit slouched in a chair.  He frowned at her and motioned to the empty chair in front of him.  “Name?”

 

“Rey.  Rey Kenobi.”

 

He squinted at her.  “Age?”

 

“I’m twenty-two.”

 

“Mmmmmm-hmmmmm,” he said, not looking up from his form.  “Okay, thrill me.”

 

She started Julia’s monologue from Act 1, scene 2 of _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_. 

 

The man never looked up.

 

As she finished, she waited for him to say something.

 

Finally, he did.  “And?”

 

“And, Mister Ren? What else do you want?”

 

He huffed.  “Nothing.  Next!”

 

“Really?  That’s it?”

 

He raised an eyebrow.  “Look, kid, you’ve either got it or you don’t.  You obviously don’t.”

 

Rey’s hands bunched into fists; her face went red.  “Don’t call me kid.  The name is Rey Kenobi.”  As the next actress walked in, she stormed out grumbling, “Stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerfherder!”

 

“What,” Kylo Ren boomed.  “What did you just say?”

 

Rey spun.  “I called you a stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerfherder!”  With that she turned and ran from the building.

 

_Not that.  The name._   He looked down at the piece of paper in his hands and felt sick to his stomach.  _Kenobi?_   Kylo Ren looked like he’d been slapped.  He barked at his assistant, “Mitaka!”  The young man came scrambling in.  “Find out everything you can about Miss Rey Kenobi.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Rey was dragging Finn down the sidewalk.  “Finn, please!  We want to celebrate,” Rey said.

 

“Celebrate what?”

 

Jess shrugged.  “Whaddya got?”

 

Finn looked at his sister and raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Oh stop being so stuffy.” Rey cuffed him on the arm.  “We’re celebrating our second full week out on our own.”

 

“Yeah, because it went so well,” Finn said.  “Or did I miss the part where you got a job?”

 

This time Jess cuffed him.  “Well, then let’s celebrate the fact that it could’ve been worse.”  She tugged on his arm.  “Come on.  I know the perfect place to forget about life for a while.”

 

Jess led them to a non-descript building about ten blocks away.  She walked up to an unmarked door and knocked.

 

Finn leaned over to his sister.  “What in the world is going on?”

 

Rey shrugged.

 

The door creaked open slightly.  “Password?”

 

“Strawberry-Rhubarb and Gin,” Jess whispered.

 

The door swung open and Finn could hear laughter and music.  Jess jumped inside.  “Come on!”

 

As they wound their way down a dark hall and then down a dim staircase, the noises became louder and louder.  They passed through another doorway and suddenly, they were standing in a busy nightclub.

 

“What the kriff,” Finn exclaimed.  And then, he whispered, horrified, “This is a speakeasy!”

 

“I know!  Isn’t it great,” Jess asked, beaming at them both.

 

“It’s fantastic,” Rey agreed.

 

“Rey, I don’t think that this place is on the up and up.”

 

“Of course not!  That’s what makes it fun,” Rey said, grabbing Finn’s hand and dragging him further into the club.

 

The small space was full of people.  And smoke.  And the distinctive scent of hooch.  It was loud and hazy and Finn couldn’t quite make out what anyone was saying because of the jazz drifting back from somewhere up ahead. 

 

“There’s a spot up near the band,” Jess yelled back, pointing in front of them.

 

Finn looked where she was pointing and froze.

 

There, on stage with a banjo in his hand, sat Poe Dameron.

 

“No,” Finn said, pulling Rey back.  “We need to leave.”

 

“What?  No!  We just got here.”  She leaned in close.  “What’s the problem, Finn?”  


“Him,” Finn said, pointing to the stage.

 

“Him?”  Rey scanned the stage.  There were seven men on stage.  “Which one?”

 

“Banjo,” Finn said.

 

“The cute one?”

 

“He’s not cute.”

 

Rey turned back to Finn and raised an eyebrow.  “Yes, he is.”

 

Finn shook his head.  “Fine.  Maybe he’s a little cute, but that’s not the point.”

 

Jess came back to fetch them.  “Hey!  What’s the problem?”

 

“Finn doesn’t like the banjo player.”

 

Jess turned to the stage.  “Poe?  Why don’t you like Poe?”

 

“You know Poe?”

 

“Yeah.  He tried to get me a job with the [Skywalker Twin’s Flying Circus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstorming) when I first got to town.  That’s where he works.”

 

“He’s a pilot,” Rey asked.

 

“Yeah, a real good one.  He promised to take me up sometime, maybe even teach me to fly.”

 

“Yeah right,” Finn huffed.

 

“What’s eating him,” Jess asked Rey.

 

“I don’t know,” Rey said, turning to Finn.  “Spill!  What’s your problem with Poe?”

 

Finn crossed his arms.  “Nothing.  Obviously, he’s the greatest guy in the world, and I’m a jerk.”

 

“Finn,” Rey said, “don’t be like that.”

 

“Fine!  I don’t know.  He just rubbed me the wrong way.  Treats me like I’m some sort of sap.”

 

“Nooooooo,” Rey gasped.  “He isn’t the one from across the hall, is he?”

 

Finn blushed.  “Yes,” he said weakly.

 

Jess smiled.  “What?”

 

Rey turned to Jess.  “When Finn moved into Resistance Towers last week, the guy across the hall thought he was a rube, suggested he go back home to Kansas.”

 

“I’ve never even been to Kansas!”

 

“That was Poe?”

 

“Yeah,” Rey said.  “But then he tried to apologize, and big brother here wouldn’t let him.”

 

Jess laughed.  “Why not?”

 

Finn leaned forward.  “Can’t we just go?”

 

“No,” Rey said.  “I want to have some fun.”

 

“And fun you shall have!”  Jess grabbed her hand and began pulling her forward.  “Come on, Finn.  Don’t pout!”

 

The two of them made it to the dance floor and began dancing. 

 

Finn thought about just leaving, but it didn’t feel right abandoning Rey in a place like this.  He frowned, scanning the room for some place he could stand and be out of the way.

 

There was a dark hall that led to the backstage area; he made his way over and leaned against a wall there.  Rey and Jess were laughing and dancing the Charleston.  Finn shook his head. _She looks so happy._   He sighed and started watching the rest of the crowd. 

 

There was a lot of drinking and a lot of dancing.  Everyone looked to be having a good time.  Finn crossed his arms.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like drinking and dancing, and the jazz was good, it was just that…  He glanced back at the stage.  Poe was laughing and bouncing to the beat.  _Poe Dameron_ , Finn thought.  _Why do you get under my skin the way you do?_

 

The song ended and then Poe stood up.  “For this next one, we’re gonna slow things down a bit.”  The band started a song and after about a minute, Poe’s voice lifted across the club: “[And now the purple dust of twilight time steals across the meadows of my heart…”](https://youtu.be/VezW1PtDq5E)

 

Finn had never heard anything like it.

 

“High up in the sky, the little stars climb, always reminding me that we’re apart…”

 

It was overwhelming.  Never in his life had Finn heard anything as agonizingly sweet as Poe Dameron’s voice.  He grabbed at the wall next to him just to steady himself.  Poe’s voice was pure heartbreak.  Finn held his breath, concentrating his whole being on the sound of it. 

 

“Sometimes I wonder why I spend the lonely night dreaming of a song…”

 

Even though Finn had never really had his heart broken, Poe’s voice made him feel it, that desperate hurt, the pain of love. 

 

And he suddenly wished that Poe was singing just for him.  He needed everyone in the room to stop talking and dancing and clinking their glasses together so that he could hear it better. Finn closed his eyes and let himself sway to the music.

 

“Now my consolation is the stardust of a song...”

 

Finn realized there were tears in his eyes. 

 

“Though I dream in vain, in my heart it will remain, my stardust melody, the memory of love’s refrain…”

 

The last few notes of the song floated through the space, and Finn stared up at the stage where Poe stood, crowned in the spotlight as he looked out into the sea of people gathered in front of the stage; it was clear that Poe had tears in his eyes too. 

 

As the song ended, Poe took a deep breath and gave the crowd a sad smile.  “We’re gonna take a little break.  We’ll be back in about ten minutes.”

 

The spotlight went dark and the bar got loud again.

 

Finn watched as Poe and his friends stepped off stage and realized, a bit belatedly, that they were headed for the hallway he was currently in.  He quickly wiped the tears from his cheeks and tried to look as casual as possible, studying his shoes as the men walked by.

 

He held his breath as the pair of shoes he recognized as Poe’s walked by, but thankfully, the other man didn’t seem to notice him.  As the band wandered backstage, Finn let out a sigh and turned to study the bar.  _And not think about Poe_ , Finn thought to himself.

 

“Wouldn’t have thought this was your type of place,” came a cocky voice from behind him.

 

Finn closed his eyes.  _Dammit._   He didn’t bother turning around.  “It’s not.  I’m here with my sister.”

 

“Really?  Which one is she,” Poe asked, coming up beside Finn.

 

Finn frowned and searched the crowd.  Rey and Jess were sitting at a table near the stage.  “There,” Finn said pointing.  “She’s the one with your friend Jess.”

 

Poe chuckled.  “The brunette?  You two don’t look much alike.”

 

“That doesn’t make her any less my sister.”

 

“Sorry!  Didn’t mean to offend,” Poe said.  _Although that’s all I ever seem to do._ “Why aren’t you with her?”

 

Finn shrugged. 

 

Poe studied Rey and Jess for a moment.  “Oh,” he said.  _This is Jess’s mystery woman._

 

“Oh what?”

 

Poe smiled.  “You’re letting them have some alone time.  Gallant,” Poe said, nodding in approval.

 

“I’m not being kriffing gallant.”

 

“If you say so,” Poe said with a shrug.  _Am I ever gonna get you to warm up to me?_   “Wanna beer?”

 

“Sure,” Finn heard himself say.  _What the hell am I doing?_

 

Poe held up a hand.  “Wait here.  Don’t go anywhere.”  He ran down the hall and returned a minute later with two bottles.  “We keep them stashed in the dressing room.”  He opened one and handed it to Finn.  Then he opened the other and clinked them together.  “Cheers.”

 

Finn muttered, “Cheers,” and took a sip.  He smiled and closed his eyes, savoring the taste.

 

Poe chuckled.  “I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile.  It’s nice.  You should do it more often.”

 

Finn couldn’t help his blush.  “Are you always this pushy?”

 

“Yeah,” Poe said.  “Are you always so grouchy?”

 

Finn gave Poe a crooked little grin.  “No, not always.”

 

Poe was pretty sure he’d cross deserts to see that grin again.  “So what’s the secret?”

 

“Secret,” Finn asked, taking another drink.

 

“The secret to getting in your good graces.”

 

“For starters, don’t call me a rube.”

 

“I apologized for that one, buddy,” Poe said.

 

“Keep an eye out for my sister?”

 

“I can do that.  What else,” Poe asked, pressing his luck and leaning in closer.

 

_Is he flirting with me_ , Finn thought, realizing that he was feeling warm all over and it had nothing to do with the beer.  Finn smiled.  _Two can play at this game_.  “Well…”  He leaned in until they were practically nose to nose.

 

A glass shattered and someone yelled, “Raid!”

 

A police officer was blowing into a whistle.  “Stay where you are!”

 

Everyone began screaming and running.

 

“Kriff,” Poe yelled, grabbing Finn’s arm.  “Come on, we’ve gotta get outta here!”

 

“Not without Rey,” Finn said, jerking his arm away, but there was already a huge wave of people running towards them.

 

Poe grabbed Finn’s shoulder, pulling him down the hall.  “Sorry, buddy, but it isn’t safe to go that way.  And I’m not too keen on spending the night in jail.  Besides, if she’s with Jess, she’ll be okay.  Testor is good people.”

 

“Testor?”

 

“That’s my nickname for Jess,” Poe said, pulling Finn into a side room and putting a finger in front of his lips.  He jerked his head towards the right where they could hear the police rounding up people.  Poe pointed to a staircase and they quickly started down it.  When they were underneath the speakeasy, Poe whispered, “It’s the old coal tunnel.  They don’t use it much anymore, but it provides a nice alternative route out.”  It got darker and darker until Finn had to put his hand on Poe’s shoulder. 

 

“I can’t see anything,” he hissed.

 

“Don’t worry,” said Poe.  “I’ve gone this way before.”  There was a clang.  “Kriff,” Poe said, falling forward. 

 

Finn couldn’t help laughing.  “Smooth, Dameron.”

 

“Yeah, well, someone musta moved stuff around down here.”  He put his hand over Finn’s hand holding it to his shoulder and Finn thought he might just die.  “I think the exit is this way.”  He tugged and Finn followed.

 

Eventually, they made it to a wrought iron ladder.  “Hot dawg!  This is it,” Poe whispered.  “Told ya I’d get us out.”  He slowly started up. 

 

Finn did too, not realizing that Poe was going to stop halfway.  He ran nose-first into Poe's leg, mortified but also strangely excited.  _What is wrong with me?_  

 

“Whoah, buddy!  Give me a minute,” Poe said, fiddling with something.  Then, Finn heard the scrape of metal as Poe pushed off a manhole cover.  “There we go.”  He climbed out and leaned back in, offering Finn a hand.  After he pulled Finn out, he reset the manhole cover and dusted himself off.  “And that’s how you get out of a raid.”

 

“What do you think happened to Jess and Rey?”  Finn rubbed his hands together as a cool breeze blew by.

 

“Well, if they got pinched, I’m guessing they’re at the 49th.”  Poe shrugged out of his bomber jacket and draped it over Finn’s shoulders.  “Snap is a desk sergeant there.”  He started down the sidewalk. 

 

“That’s great, but how are we gonna get them out,” Finn asked, working his arms into the jacket.

 

“My guess is they’re just gonna hold them overnight.  So, the best we can do is be ready with coffee and crullers for when they get out.”  He smiled and nodded to his jacket.  “Looks good on you.”

 

Finn could not figure out why that observation made him so happy.

 

**# # # #**

 

Jess leaned into Rey.  “Sorry.”

 

“I’m not,” Rey said, stifling a yawn.  “That was actually kinda fun.”

 

“And I’m sure Finn got out,” Jess said.

 

“Me too,” Rey said, looking around at the other bar patrons crowding the cell.  Somehow Jess had managed to snag them a key piece of real estate—about three feet of a bench.  It wasn’t the most comfortable place Rey had ever spent the night, but looking around the cell—especially at the people trying to bunk down on the concrete floor—she figured it could be worse.

 

“So you never did tell me,” Rey said, “about this big plan of yours.”

 

“Oh that,” Jess said, adjusting her head on Rey’s shoulder.  “That’s simple.”  She lifted her head off Rey’s shoulder long enough to look her in the eye.  “I figure you’re staying at Miss Phasma’s, you must’ve grown up poor.  Not like the debutants are coming down to this part of town to live, right?”

 

“Right,” said Rey reluctantly.

 

“So you know what it’s like,” Jess said.

 

_I remember it, but that was a long time ago_ , Rey thought.  “Right,” Rey said, feeling like a horrible fraud.

 

Jess continued, settling her head back on Rey’s shoulder, “Yeah, well, when I was old enough, I got the hell off that ranch, came out here—figured it was the land of opportunity and all.”  Jess sighed.  “Wasn’t that easy.  Spent a lot of nights out on the streets.  So when I got enough money to put myself through secretary school, I figured that I couldn’t waste my talents, you know?  So I made a vow.  I’m gonna be the best secretary the world has ever seen, and I’m gonna find a rich boss and marry them.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m gonna find the richest being in the city—well, at least the richest one who needs a secretary—and I’m gonna get a job at their firm, and I’m gonna find a way to make them mine.”

 

“But what about love?”

 

Jess closed her eyes.  “Love’s great for those that can afford it.  The rest of us have to figure out how to put food on the table.”

 

“That sounds a bit mercenary,” Rey said quietly.

 

Jess sat up.  “Yeah, well, so is living on the streets.  I figure I’ve got to do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”  She frowned.  “I thought you’d understand,” she said.

 

“I do.  It’s just…”  Rey couldn’t even put into words why this was bothering her, but it was.  She shrugged.  “I guess I still believe in love.”

 

Jess laughed.  “They’re gonna eat you alive in the theater,” she said, before settling her head back on Rey’s shoulder.

 

“I suppose they are,” Rey said quietly.

 

**# # # #**

 

The next morning, the police officers came through and let everyone go.

 

As Jess and Rey stumbled out into the street, blinking in the sun, they spotted Poe and Finn sitting on a bench across the street.  They had a bag of crullers and a thermos of coffee waiting.

 

“Gimmie, gimmie,” Jess said, running up to them.

 

“I’m glad you’re alright, peanut,” Finn said, standing and kissing Rey’s head.

 

“I’m fine, Finn.”  Then she turned to Poe.  “Hi, I’m Rey.”

 

“Poe,” he said sticking out his hand.  “Glad to meet you.”

 

“Me too.  I’ve heard a lot about you.”

 

“I promise I’m not as awful as your brother says.”

 

Jess kicked him.  “Hey, I spoke up for you.”

 

Rey laughed.  “No, it’s been mostly good.”  She picked up a cruller.  “What time do you have to get to work, Jess?”

 

“Kriff,” Jess yelled.  “What time is it?”

 

“About seven thirty,” Finn said. 

 

“No,” Jess said.  “I’m a mess, and today is the day I’m supposed to start my new job!”  She started running towards the subway station.  When none of the others followed her, she turned and shrugged.  “You guys coming?”

 

“I thought I’d splurge on a cab, Testor,” Poe said.  “Now come back and enjoy another cruller.”

 

**# # # #**

“So, does this mean we’re friends now,” Poe asked, unlocking his door with a yawn.

 

“I’ll think about it,” Finn said, pushing his door open.

 

“Well, if we are, wanna come out to the airfield with me on Saturday, watch the show?”

 

“The show?”

 

“Skywalker Twin’s Flying Circus.  We’re barnstormers.”

 

“Sure.  Why not.”

 

Poe smiled.  “Good.”  _Finally!_ “Have a good day at work, Finn.”

“You too, Poe.”

 

**# # # #**

 

_I’m so kriffing late!_   Rey ran out of Miss Phasma’s…and right into Kylo Ren.

 

“What in the…”  She looked up.  “Oh it’s you.”  She started to walk around him.

 

“Wait,” he said.  “I want to talk to you.”  He grabbed her arm and led her away from the sidewalk.

 

“Let go of my arm or so help me…”

 

He let go of her and smiled down.  _She’s what, five-foot-nothing?_

 

“What do you want?”

 

“I want to give you a second chance, Miss Kenobi.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’ve lined up an audition for a small part in a play that I think you might be right for.  But you need a teacher, someone who can help you hone your talents.  I’m offering to be that teacher.”

 

“Why,” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

 

He shrugged.  “I think I was a bit too hard on you the other day.  Thought I’d give you a second chance.  What do you say?”

 

Rey frowned.  She didn’t trust this guy, but she really needed the work.  “Okay,” she said reluctantly.  “When do we start?”

 

He handed her his business card.  An address was written on the back.  “Be here at 1 o’clock tomorrow afternoon.  Got it?”

 

“Tomorrow at one.  Sure.”  She stepped away from him.  “Now if you don’t mind?”

 

He smiled.  “See you tomorrow, Miss Kenobi.”  He watched her run down the sidewalk and his smile fell into a scowl.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Poe sings is "Stardust," which--okay I'm cheating with my dates a bit--was written in 1927, with lyrics added in 1929 (Carmichael/Parish). The version I linked to in the text is Nat King Cole's rendition, which I've always loved.
> 
> Barnstormers were stunt pilots performing tricks. In groups, they were often called Flying Circuses.


	3. The Skywalker Twins Flying Circus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe flies.
> 
> Rey pouts.
> 
> Luke and Leia are on the case.
> 
> Kylo Ren has a plan.
> 
> And Han is checking up on things.

 

Jess shoved past a group of people and found enough space on the bench for her, Rey, and Finn.  “Here we go.”  She plopped down and then stared out at the field in front of them.  “Perfect,” she said.  The show had just begun.

 

Finn looked all around.  There were hundreds of people here, watching as stunt flyers did all sorts of tricks above them.   _I can’t believe this is what Poe does for a living._

 

Finn asked, “When is Poe up?”  _We haven’t missed him, have we?_

 

“Next,” Jess said.  “Don’t worry.  We’ll see him.”  She patted Finn’s shoulder and shared a knowing smile with Rey.

 

Finn nodded and tried not to be scared on behalf of Poe.  The current pilot did a barrel roll and Finn had to look away _.  This is crazy._   Then, it occurred to him: _Papa Han would love this_ , he thought to himself, wishing he could say as much to Rey.

 

He turned to look at her.  Her eyes were huge watching the current pilot doing a beautiful spiral in the air before she came in for a landing.

 

“You wanna be a pilot now, don’t you,” Finn asked.

 

“Yes,” Rey said, never taking her eyes off the plane.  “Have you ever seen anything so…”

 

Finn and Jess laughed.

 

“She’s a goner,” Finn said.

 

“How about you,” Jess asked.

 

“No, thank you.  I prefer my feet on the ground,” Finn said.

 

The announcer said, “Next up, Poe Dameron!”  The crowd roared.  Many got to their feet.

 

“I guess Poe’s something of a star,” Finn said.

 

“Just wait till you see him,” Jess said.  “Best pilot in the country!”

 

Poe’s plane was black with orange stripes.  As soon as it appeared on the horizon, Finn was on his feet.

 

Poe started with some basic spins but pretty soon he was doing a dizzying array of loop-the-loops and barrel rolls.  Poe would climb up, up, up and then come tumbling down in barely-controlled chaos.  It was, at once, turbulent and masterful—like some crazy jazz ballet in the air.

 

Finn didn’t realize that he was holding his breath and clutching Jess’s hand until Poe did a particularly grand loop-the-loop that made it look like he was going to crash into the field.

 

“No,” Finn yelled—along with several other members of the audience.

 

Jess laughed.  “Relax, Kenobi.  It’s his job to make it look scary.”    
  
Finn tried to smile and relax, but he couldn’t.  Not until Poe was back on the ground. 

 

Several minutes later, Poe’s plane came to a halt in front of the stands.  He jumped out and walked over to start talking to some of the kids who’d gathered there.

 

Finn couldn’t help himself.  He jumped down from their seats and made his way over. 

 

Poe broke into a huge smile when he saw Finn.  “Kansas!”

 

Finn rolled his eyes but kept pressing forward.  “Hot dawg, Poe!  You’re one hell of a pilot,” he yelled.

 

“Thanks,” Poe said, squeezing Finn’s shoulder.  _That’s my jacket_.  Poe’s smile grew.  “Glad you liked the show.  I’ll have to take you up sometime.”  He gave Finn a sly wink.  “Just the two of us.”

 

Finn grinned stupidly.  “Yeah, I’d like that.”  Flying scared him silly, but for some reason, the prospect of flying with Poe sounded like the best idea anyone had ever had.

 

Rey and Jess came up and Jess couldn’t help herself, “Poor Finn nearly fainted during that last loop-the-loop.”

 

“I was fine,” Finn said.  
  
“Don’t worry, buddy.  I know what I’m doing.”

 

“Yeah, but still, Poe, you have to admit, it’s dangerous,” Jess said.

 

Poe shot her a look.  _Not in front of Finn_.   

 

“So why do it,” Finn asked.

 

Poe laughed and spread his arms out.  “Look at this!  It’s amazing.”  Another kid ran up to ask Poe for his autograph. 

 

As he was giving it, a small woman with beautiful braids in her hair came up to them.  “Poe, I want to talk to you and Nien when you’re finished here.”

 

“Oh wait,” Poe said, running to her and shepherding her back over.  “Leia Organa, I’d like you to meet my friends.”

 

Finn shared a look with Rey.  _Did he just say Leia Organa?  As in that Leia Organa?_

 

“This is Jessika Pava.”

 

“Hello, Jessika.”

 

“And this is Finn.”

 

Leia raised an eyebrow.  “So, this is the infamous Finn,” she said with a smile.

 

“Infamous?” Finn looked to Poe.

 

Neither Jess nor Rey missed the way Poe blushed right up over his ears.  “Ignore her, Finn.  She’s just joking.  Right, Leia?”

 

“Ummmmm-hmmmmm.”  She took Finn’s hand.  “It’s nice to meet you, Finn.”

 

“And this is his sister Rey.  Rey Kenobi.”

 

“Kenobi,” Leia asked, clearly startled.  “Any relation to Ben Kenobi?”

 

Finn took in a sharp breath.  _Yep, definitely that Leia Organa.  You just had to steal Uncle Ben’s name, didn’t you, Rey?_

 

Rey stuttered, “I think he’s a distant cousin or something.”

 

“Hmmmm,” Leia said.  Then she seemed to remember herself.  “Nice to meet you, Rey.  You too, Finn and Jessika.  Hope to see you at another show sometime soon.”  She nodded and walked off.

 

“I’ll be right behind you, Leia.”  Poe turned to the others.  “If you give me about twenty minutes, I was thinking we could all go out and catch a bite.”

 

“Sounds good,” Finn said.

 

“Okay,” Jess said.  “but we can’t spend all night out.  I’ve got to get back.  I start a new job tomorrow.”

 

“I thought you just started a new job,” Finn said.

 

“Yeah, but it turned out the boss was married.”  She crossed her fingers.  “Here’s hoping Mr. Halperin is single.”

 

Rey tried to smile at the joke, but she couldn’t.

 

**# # # #**

The next night Finn was standing in the lobby of Miss Phasma’s, marveling at the statuesque woman who was Miss Phasma.  _That woman is truly frightening_.

 

“What is she, like six feet tall,” he whispered to Rey as they were leaving.

 

“Something like that,” Rey said. 

 

Finn squinted at his sister.  “What’s eating you?”

 

“Oh…nothing,” she said.  Then, in an effort to change the subject.  “So that was Leia Organa.”

 

“Yeah!  What are the odds?”

 

“Well, it is the Skywalker Twin’s Flying Circus.”

 

“Yeah, but I never put two and two together on that one.”  After a few more steps, Finn added, “She isn’t what I expected.”

 

“No,” Rey said.  “She looked nice.”

 

“I wonder what happened,” Finn said.

 

Rey shrugged.  “He’s never gonna tell us, Finn.”

 

“I know, but still…”  He took a deep breath and sighed.

 

**# # # #**

 

They’d been in the diner for about twenty minutes and Finn had tried to start six different conversations, but the most Rey would give him was a _yes_ or a _no_. 

 

Rey was scowling at her coffee cup. 

 

“Okay, enough!  What’s got you so down,” Finn asked, taking a huge bite of his sandwich.

 

“You mean besides the horror that is Kylo Ren?”

 

“Yeah,” Finn said.  “Besides that.”

 

“Jess,” Rey said quietly.

 

Finn smiled.  He’d figured something was up between the two of them.  “She already have a girlfriend?”

 

“No,” Rey said.

 

“Then what is it?”

 

“She’s a gold digger,” Rey said, stirring her coffee.

 

Finn’s eyes went wide.  “I think you’re gonna have to explain that one to me.”

 

Rey sighed.  “Well, okay.  Not yet, but she wants to become one.  See, she has this plan.  She wants to find an eligible boss and work as their secretary and then get them to marry her, so she’ll be rich.”  Rey kept stirring her coffee.  “She said she doesn’t care about love.”

 

Finn chewed on his lip for a moment.  “And you’re upset because?”

 

She fixed an annoyed stare on her brother.  “For the same reason that you’d be upset if Poe was dating someone else.”

 

“What?  I’m not…  We’re not…  He’s…”  He self-consciously tugged at the bomber jacket he was wearing.

 

Rey smiled.  “Ummmm-hmmmmm?”

 

Finn dropped his sandwich onto his plate.  “Fine.”  He leaned forward.  “Is it that noticeable?”

 

“Yeah,” Rey said.

 

“Kriff,” Finn said.  “So he knows?”

 

“Oh no,” Rey said.  “As far as I can tell, he’s as big an idiot as you are.”

 

“Well, thanks for that,” Finn said, picking up his sandwich.  He took a bite.  “You ever thought about just telling her the truth?”

 

“What?  That I like her?  Or that I’m rich?”

 

“Both?”

 

“But then I’d always wonder,” Rey said, staring at the swirling coffee in her cup.

 

“So tell her you like her but forget to mention the money.”

 

Rey sighed.  “I don’t know.”

 

Finn put down his sandwich and leaned forward.  “Peanut, tell her.”

 

“Maybe,” Rey said, pushing the coffee cup away.

 

**# # # #**

 

Leia sat down across the table from her brother, who was going over plans for their next string of shows.  “I met an interesting pair of kids yesterday,” she said.

 

Luke didn’t look up, “And?”

 

“Rey and Finn Kenobi.”

 

At the mention of his old friend’s name, Luke looked up.  “Kenobi?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“As in?”

 

“They claimed to be distant cousins.”

 

“Not likely.”

 

“Didn’t think so.”

 

“Wait, Rey and Finn,” Luke said.  “Aren’t Han’s kids named…”

 

Leia nodded.

 

“Where did you meet them?”

 

“At the show.  They came with Dameron.  Finn’s the one he’s been gushing about for the last week.”

 

“Does Poe know?”

 

“I don’t think so.  As far as I could tell, he has no idea who they are.”

 

“Why do you think…”  Luke frowned.  “Maybe we should reach out to Han?”

 

Leia pressed her lips together.  Luke could sense how hard she was trying to keep her anger in check.

 

“Or maybe we should just keep an eye on them,” Luke offered.

 

Leia nodded.  She leaned back in her chair.  “They looked like nice kids.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m pretty sure Dameron is a goner for Finn.”

 

Luke chuckled.  “Well, if anyone could handle Poe, I’d think it would be Han’s son.”

 

Leia flinched at that.

 

“Sorry,” Luke said.

 

Leia shook her head.  “No need to apologize.  He _is_ Han’s son,” she said. 

 

After a few moments, she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and pushed it to Luke.  “We have a new letter from Karé.  Another girl has gone missing.”

 

“That’s six in the last four months.”  Luke chewed on his pencil.  “And no one is raising a stink?”

 

Leia said, “They’re all orphans.  Most of them are poor, scraping by.  They’re just the type to disappear.”  She sighed.  “Any new leads on what they might be doing with them or where they’re taking them?”

 

“None,” Luke said.  “The only lead is Miss Phasma’s, but even with Karé there and Snap working things from the precinct…  Someone outside of the boarding house is masterminding this and whoever it is, they’re smart.”

 

“I think it might be time to get more proactive on this one,” Leia said.

 

“What did you have in mind?”

 

**# # # #**

 

Kylo stared down at the photograph as Mitaka talked.  “His name is Finn.  He’s supposedly her brother.  He’s staying at the Resistance Towers, which is a few blocks away from Phasma’s.”

 

Kylo frowned.  _Rey and Finn.  Kenobi.  Too many coincidences_.

 

“Who is that one?”

 

“Uh, that’s a girl named Jessika Pava.  She’s been at Phasma’s for about seven, eight months now.  The other one is named Poe Dameron.  He’s—”

 

“I know Dameron.  The two of us go way back.”

 

Mitaka was sweating.  “Um, is there anything else, sir?”

 

“Just keep an eye on Rey and Finn Kenobi.  I want to know what they’re up to.  Why they’re hanging around with Dameron.”

 

“Yes, sir.”  Mitaka scuffled away.

 

Kylo picked up the phone and dialed a number.  “Hux,” he said.  “We need to talk.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Hey Kansas!”

 

Finn growled under his breath.  “Poe, if you want to be friends, you are gonna have to stop calling me that.”

 

Poe pretended to pout for a split second.  Then he hit Finn’s shoulder with an envelope.  “So what are you doing next Friday night?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

He hit him with the envelope again.  “Wrong!  You and your sister and Jess are coming with me to a party out on Long Island.  Leia said to be sure to extend her personal invitation.”  He shoved the envelope into Finn’s chest.

 

Finn took it from Poe and opened it.

 

_You are cordially invited to the Skywalker Twin’s Annual Masquerade Ball_

_Friday, October 16, 1925 at 8:00PM_

_Skywalker Mansion_

_Costumes and Masks Required_

 

“Uh,” Finn frowned.

 

“What?  It’ll be fun.  We’ll all get dressed up and wear masks and eat good food and dance.  Finn, why are you still frowning?”

 

“It’s just,” his mouth bunched up as he tried to think of a good excuse—anything besides _I don’t want to see my Papa’s ex-wife because I’m afraid she might figure out who I am_ —“it sounds so ritzy.”

 

Poe threw back his head and laughed.  “Trust me.  We’ll be fine.”

 

Finn opened his mouth to protest, but Poe had already grabbed his arm and was moving forward.  “Now, let’s talk dinner…”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Kylo Ren is a pompous ass,” Rey said, flinging herself onto Jess’s bed.

 

Jess chuckled, not bothering to look up from her newspaper.  “What did he do this time?”

 

Rey rolled her eyes and sat up.  “Miss Kenobi, I’m still not getting enough emotion out of you.  Where’s the passion?  Where’s the fire?”  She huffed and laid back down.  “Why did I agree to work with him?”

 

“Isn’t he getting you auditions?”

 

“Yeah, there’s that.  But they’re all so…”  Rey shrugged.  “Bad?  I feel like he’s deliberately sending me up for the wrong parts.”

 

“Then quit him.”

 

“But then I’ll still be in this situation.  As it is,” she sat back up, “I’m starting to wonder about this whole acting thing.”  She crossed her arms.  “What are you reading?”

 

“Story by Luke Skywalker on the all of young women who’ve gone missing in the last few months.”

 

“Luke Skywalker?”

 

“Yeah, you know.  He’s Leia Organa’s brother.  They were both journalists and pilots during the war.  These days she runs the Flying Circus and he travels around writing for the _Times_.”

 

Rey frowned.  _Technically, he’d be Uncle Luke._

                                                       

“He’ll be at the party on Friday.  Maybe we can meet him.”

 

Rey’s stomach clenched.  Neither she nor Finn had come up with an excuse good enough to dissuade Jess and Poe from the party.  _At least it’s a masquerade_ , Rey thought.  “We should head down to dinner.  Don’t want Pamich to eat everything up.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Okay, I’m here.  You have exactly twenty minutes of my time, Ren.”  The red-headed man slipped into a chair.  “Thrill me.”

 

Kylo fought hard against rolling his eyes.  It was always a struggle with Armi Hux.  Instead, he leaned forward.  “Remember how I told you about those two gutter rats that my father ended up adopting after I left?”

 

“Yes,” Hux said, barely containing his boredom.

 

“Well, they have practically fallen into our laps.”

 

“And?”

 

“And I think there is a way to hurt them and my father and make some money out of it at the same time.”

 

Hux perked up.  “What about our other…project?”

 

“As far as I know, that is still going strong.  Has Phasma said anything different?”

 

“No, everything’s good there.”  Hux leaned forward.  “So why don’t you tell me your idea about the gutter rats?”

 

**# # # #**

A man stood in the shadows across the street from Resistance Towers.  He perked up as he saw Poe Dameron and Finn Solo walk down the street and stop.  Dameron hugged Finn, who went inside as Poe lit a cigarette.

 

Poe took a few drags off the cigarette and then looked up and nearly choked as he recognized the man leaning against the wall across the street.

 

He jogged over.  “Han?  What are you doing here?  It’s been, what?  Six, seven months?”

 

“Something like that.  Who’s the kid?”

 

Poe smiled.  “Finn Kenobi.  He and his sister got into town about a month ago.  Been keeping an eye on them.”

 

Han raised an eyebrow. 

 

“What?  I’m a nice guy.  Just ask Bee!”

 

“Where is that nuisance anyway?”

 

“Still with Sister Kaydel.”  He offered Han a cigarette.  Han shook his head.  “So what are you doing here, Solo?”

 

“Just checking up on a few things.  Thought I’d see how you were doing.”

 

“I’m good.  And before you don’t ask: Leia’s fine and Luke’s fine.  Haven’t heard anything about Ben in a while now.”

 

“You wouldn’t.  He changed his name.”

 

Poe shook his head.  _Ben, you’re an idiot._ He took another drag off his cigarette.  “The masquerade is coming up on the 16th,” Poe said.

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”  Poe dropped the cigarette and stomped it out.  “Eight o’clock, like always.”  He looked up at Han.  “You know, you should think about going.  You could try and talk to—”

 

“Poe, I’m gonna stop you right there.  We’ve had this conversation enough times.  You know how it ends.”

 

“I’m never gonna stop trying, Han.”

 

Han smiled.  “Just like your father.  How is he by the way?”

 

“Good.  Always complaining that I don’t come home enough.”

 

“Which you don’t.”

 

Poe smiled.  “I’ll tell him you said _hi_.”

 

“Do that,” Han said.

 

“Anything else?”

 

“No.  That ought to do it.”  Han put his hand on Poe’s shoulder.  “Take care of yourself, kid.”

 

“I always do,” Poe said before jogging back across the street and into the hotel.

 

Han leaned back against the wall.  He couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy.  _How have Ben and Poe turned out so differently?_   Han shoved his hands into his pockets and walked back up the street towards the car.

 

He chuckled as he met up with Chewie.  “Dameron says he’s keeping an eye on one Mr. Finn Kenobi.”

 

Chewie laughed.  “He doesn’t know that Finn is your…”

 

Han shook his head.  “No.  He thought I was here for one of my _how’s she doing_ check ins.”

 

Chewie opened the door for Han.  As Han slid into the car, a funny thought struck him.  _I wonder if I should worry about him and Finn_.  He shook his head at the absurdity of it.  _Imagine Poe Dameron as my son-in-law_.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although I wont get into it in the story, my head canon is this: Kes Dameron was also a street kid, but unlike Han, he was always on the up-and-up. He was a good guy, though, and helped Han and Chewie out of a few scrapes. Over the years, Han and Kes remained friends. And Shara even flew with Leia for a while. This meant that Poe and Ben knew each other growing up. But then, when Ben ran away and Han and Leia split, Han retreated from all of his friends and fell out of touch with Kes. However, over the years, Han kept an eye on Poe. He knew Poe worked for Leia, so from time to time, he'd find Poe and very deliberately not ask about Leia (Poe knew why he was there, just the same). They see each other about once a year. Poe gives Han an update on how Leia is doing, and he is always trying to get Han to go talk to his ex-wife.
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter: The Masquerade Ball!


	4. The Masquerade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are cordially invited to the Skywalker Twins Annual Masquerade Ball...

 

 

“Finn, will you quit fidgeting,” Rey hissed as they walked in the front door.

 

“I’m just…  We don’t belong here,” he whispered.

 

“Horsefeathers,” said Jess.  “We have just as much a right to be here as anyone else.  We were invited.”

 

“Yeah, by Poe,” Finn said.  “Where is he, anyway?”

 

“He said he’d meet us here,” Rey said.  “He’ll be here.  Just calm down.”

 

“You calm down,” Finn said as they made their way to the back garden.

 

Rey shook her head as Jess tried to keep from laughing.  Her chuckle turned into a gasp as they stepped out onto the back patio.

 

The back garden was a huge space with hedges circling the outer parameter.  Beyond them were trees—their leaves in full autumn glory.  Paper lanterns had been strung up everywhere and in the corner, a string quartet was playing.  There were hundreds of people in elegant costumes talking and dancing and…  “It’s like a fairy tale,” Jess whispered.

 

Finn began fidgeting with his costume again.  Rey slapped his hand.  “Stop it.”  She took Jess’s hand and led them towards a beautiful fountain.

 

“So this is how the other half lives,” Jess said, her eyes wide.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe didn’t usually put much thought into his costume for the Masquerade, but this year, he had someone he was dressing for.  He’d managed to find a rust-colored three-piece suit that fit like a dream; he’d attached a long fur tail to his pants.  Then, he [wore a custom-made fox mask ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/goblinart/2977136220/in/album-72157608405933085/)that had set him back more than he was willing to admit.

 

Nien laughed.  “A fox,” he said.  “Smooth, Dameron.”

 

“I try,” Poe said.  “What are you supposed to be?”

 

“I am a man in a tux with a mask on,” Nien said.  “Leia knows that this is the best she’s going to get out of me.” 

 

Poe laughed.

 

He scanned the party as they stepped out onto the back patio.  Leia, as always, was dressed as a witch.  Still, she was the most elegant witch he’d ever seen.  If you took away the deep green mask and the pointed hat, she could’ve worn the dress to any of the finest establishments on 5th avenue without batting an eye. 

 

She made her way over to them.  “Hello, Mr. Fox.  Nien.”  She raised an eyebrow at Nein’s costume but said nothing.  She handed them each a flute of champagne.  “Have a good time.”

 

“Thanks, Leia,” Poe said, resuming his search for one particular party goer.

 

Leia leaned over and whispered to him.  “They’re over by the fountain.”

 

“Thanks,” Poe said.  “Nien?”

 

“I’m going to the buffet,” Nien said, already walking to the long table covered in food.

 

At that, Poe took off towards the fountain.

 

He smiled when he saw Rey and Jess.  [Jess was a Toreador](http://mementomori-stock.deviantart.com/art/Vintage-woman-in-toreros-costume-352573455); she was wearing tight black knee-high pants with white stockings underneath.  She had a fitted black jacket with a red cape, and she’d managed to find a toreador’s hat.  It was adorable.  [Rey was wearing ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Elder)tall brown boots with white fitted pants and—Poe grinned—his old bomber jacket.  She had a leather aviator’s cap and goggles.  He laughed, and as he got close enough, he said, “We might have to hire you for the air show, Rey.”

 

“Thanks.”  She smiled, straightening out the jacket.  “I thought you’d like it,” she said.

 

Poe opened his mouth to say something else when he caught sight of Finn across the way.  Poe froze.  [Finn was in deep purple trimmed in gold](http://torontofilmsociety.org/film-notes/beau-brummell-1954/).  He wore knee-high breeches, a vest, and long coat, and Poe had never seen anything so resplendent.  “Prince Finn,” Poe whispered. 

 

He walked away, leaving Jess and Rey giggling in his wake.  He approached Finn and leaned forward in an elaborate bow.  “Your highness,” he said, hoping he sounded far more casual than he felt.

 

Finn laughed nervously.  “Ummm, rise, [my…fox?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7283488/chapters/16538368)”

 

_Definitely your fox_, Poe thought as he slowly rose.  He took Finn’s hand and kissed it.  “Your highness, I would die a happy man if I could have the next dance with you,” Poe said in a low voice, keeping Finn’s hand in his.

 

Finn blushed and stammered.  “Well, um, I…”

 

“Finn, what do you think of Poe’s costume,” Rey asked, coming up to them.

 

“Poe?!?!?”  Finn’s blush went even deeper.  _Did he know it was me?_

 

Jess grabbed at the tail sticking out of Poe’s pants.  “I like it.  Fits his personality, don’t you think?”

 

“Definitely,” Finn said. 

 

“But not as well as Finn’s costume fits him,” Poe said.  “He’s the most princely guy I know.”

 

Rey rolled her eyes.  Jess nudged her and nodded at Poe’s and Finn’s joined hands.  “So, what should we do first,” she asked.  “Food or dancing?”

 

“Food,” said Rey at the same time Poe said, “Dancing.”

 

Jess laughed.  “I guess we have to split up.  We’ll meet you two out on the dance floor later.”  She grabbed Rey’s hand and headed towards the buffet.

 

As soon as the girls were gone, all of Poe’s earlier bravado left him.  “So, um…”  He looked at his feet.  “Would you still like to dance?”

 

Finn smiled a sly little grin and threw Poe’s words back at him.  He spoke in a low, serious tone, “I would die a happy man if I could have the next dance with you.”

 

Poe laughed, pulling Finn towards the dance floor.  “That’s got to be the worst line I’ve ever heard, Kansas.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Jess had gone to the bar to get them drinks when a man dressed as the grim reaper approached Rey.

 

“Would you care to dance,” he asked.

 

Rey shivered.  Something about the man—maybe it was his choice in costume—bothered her.  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said.  “I’m actually waiting for my friend.”

 

The man made an irritated noise and drifted off to the edge of the party.  Rey watched him until Jess got back. 

 

“What is it,” Jess asked.

 

“Oh, nothing.  Just some strange people here.”  She took her glass from Jess.

 

The clown in the corner of the garden watched the grim reaper intently.  He had his suspicions as to who it was, but he didn’t want to cause a scene. 

 

_What are you doing here, Ben_ , Luke wondered.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Finn?  Finn, is that you?”  A rather inebriated devil stumbled towards Finn and Poe as they spun around the dance floor. 

 

Finn shot a terrified look to Rey.

 

“It _is_ you,” the devil said.  “How are you?  I haven’t seen you in months!”

 

“Uh,” Finn said.

 

Rey suddenly appeared by his side.  “Roger, isn’t it,” she asked, grabbing the devil and herding him towards the far end of the garden. 

 

Finn let out a breath.

 

When they were well away from the others, Rey said, in low, dangerous tone, “Stay away from Finn and stay away from me or I’ll tell my Uncle Chewie about how you like to cheat at cards.”  She fixed her eyes on his.  “I wonder what he’d do with that information?”

 

The man shuddered.

 

Poe was watching Rey shepherd the man in the devil costume away.  “Who was that?”

 

_Come up with a convincing lie quick._   “Uh,” Finn said.  “That was…  Well, you see, Poe.  There’s some things I haven’t told you about Rey and me and well…”  _Oh man, this is not going to go well._

 

Rey reappeared, having gotten rid of the devil.  “That was a rather nasty specimen that Finn and I used to work for.  Before we came to the city.  I was his housekeeper and Finn was his…”  Rey’s mind went blank.

 

Finn’s eyes grew wide.  _Come on, Rey._

 

“…his gardener.  He kept hitting on Finn and wouldn’t take no for an answer, so we had to leave.” 

 

Finn wanted to kiss his sister.  _Thank you, Rey_.

 

Poe tensed.  “Do I need to take care of him?”

 

Rey shook her head.  “No, I don’t think he’ll be coming back over here.”  She smiled an evil smile.  “But you should probably keep Finn close, just in case.”

 

Finn’s eyes grew wide.

 

Poe smiled.  “No problem, Rey.”  He took Finn’s hand.  “Come on, Finn.”  Poe studied his friend.  “Gardener, eh?  I wouldn’t have pegged you as the type.”  He took Finn in his arms and started to waltz.

 

“I’m just full of surprises,” Finn said. 

 

**# # # #**

 

Leia chuckled to herself when she saw him.  _Some things never change._  

 

She walked up to the cowboy.  “Nice night, isn’t it?”

 

Han tensed. “Yeah,” he said.

 

“Care to dance,” she asked.

 

“I thought that was my line,” Han said.

 

“Well, a girl can get tired of waiting,” she said.

 

“Care to dance,” he asked, offering her his hand.

 

“I thought you’d never ask,” she said, taking his hand and leading him to the dance floor.

 

As Han wrapped his hands around his ex-wife, he sighed.  _When did this all go wrong?_

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn was trying hard not to step on Poe’s feet.  “Sorry,” he said.  “I never was any good at—”

 

“Finn,” Poe said.  “You’re doing fine.”  He pulled Finn a bit closer.  “You just need to relax.  I’m not gonna bite,” he said playfully.  “Unless you want me to.”

 

Finn quit breathing at that.  “Ummmmm.”

 

“It was a joke, Finn.”

 

“I know that,” Finn could feel himself blushing.  “It’s just that…well, what I mean is…”  He stopped in the middle of the dance floor.  “Kriff, Poe, why do you have to fluster me like this?”

 

Poe laughed and nudged Finn so that he started dancing again.

 

Finn said, “I’m not like this with other people.”

 

“No?”

 

“No.  Believe it or not, most people would call me calm and cool and collected and…”

 

“…and I fluster you.”

 

“Yeah,” Finn said.

 

Poe pulled him in closer and whispered, “Good.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Han hoped she couldn’t feel how badly his hands were shaking.

 

“Nice night,” he said.  _Seriously, Solo.  You used to be a smooth operator_.

 

She smiled and leaned back so she could see him.  She raised an eyebrow.  “Nice night?”

 

He pulled her back towards him.  “Yeah, well, I’m rusty at this.  Why don’t you try talking?”

 

She laughed.  “I always liked you as a cowboy.  That’s a new hat.”

 

“Same hat,” Han said.  “New jacket.”

 

“Oh,” she said, running her hands over the sleeves.  “Nice.”

 

“Look, I know that I’ve never really wanted to get into it before but—”

 

“Shhhh, for tonight, I’m a witch and you’re a cowboy.  And that tall, hairy Czech man over there is a…  Okay what exactly is Chewie supposed to be?”

 

“I don't know.  A bear, I think.  That’s not the point.  What I want to say is—”

 

“Han, let’s just enjoy this dance, and then later, if you’re still feeling brave, we’ll talk.  Okay?”

 

“Okay,” he said.

 

She pressed her head into his chest.  “Good.”

 

He wrapped his hands a bit more tightly around her.

 

**# # # #**

 

“So you wanna be a pilot now,” Jess asked, spinning Rey out and bringing her back in a bit too forcefully.  Rey crashed into her.

 

“Sorry,” Rey said, laughing.

 

“No, my fault,” Jess said.  “Maybe we should just stick with the basics.”

 

Rey nodded.  As she and Jess found a rhythm, she said, “I don’t know.”

 

Jess raised an eyebrow.

 

“About the pilot stuff.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I think I want to try acting for a bit longer, but something about watching Poe and the other pilots, it was…”

 

“Amazing,” Jess said.

 

Rey met her eyes and smiled.  “Exactly.”

 

Jess stopped breathing.  _You are perfect, and I’m pretty sure that I lo—_ “Uh, I have to…I’ll be right back.” 

 

Jess dropped Rey’s arms and bolted off the dance floor.  She ran to the edge of the garden and nearly collided with someone dressed as a clown.  “Sorry!”

 

“Not a problem, Miss?”

 

“Pava.  Jessika Pava.”

 

“Not a problem, Miss Pava.  Luke Skywalker.”  He held out his hand and she shook it.

 

Pava bit her lip and Luke gave her a worried look.  “Something wrong?”

 

Jess turned back to the dance floor where Rey was now dancing with Finn and Poe.  She frowned.  “No,” she said.

 

Luke smiled.  “Are you sure?”

 

“No offense, Mr. Skywalker, but I don’t really know you.”

 

“True,” Luke said, taking her arm and leading her to a nearby bench.  “But sometimes strangers can offer up a fresh perspective on your problems.”

 

He sat down and Jess found herself sitting next to him.

 

“I have a plan,” she said.

 

“A plan?”

 

“So that I never have to go hungry again,” Jess said.

 

“Ah,” Luke said.  “And what does this plan entail?”

 

“Finding an eligible boss and marrying well.”

 

“Oh,” Luke said.

 

“Don’t judge,” Jess said.

 

“No.  No judgement,” Luke said, “It’s just that…well, by the looks of things, you seemed to be enjoying that young lady’s company out on the dance floor.”

 

“That’s the problem.”

 

“Why is that a problem?”

 

“Because she’s just as poor as me.”

 

Luke nodded.

 

Jess leaned back and sighed.  “I’m crazy about her, but being with her would mean scrapping the plan.”

 

“True.”

 

“But sticking with the plan means giving her up.”

 

“Also true.”

 

Jess crossed her arms.  “Are you just gonna sit there and agree with me?”

 

Luke laughed.  “Call me old fashioned.  I like the idea of being in love.”

 

“Yeah, but you’re rich.  What do you know,” Jess pouted.

 

Luke’s laugh grew louder.  “I wasn’t always rich.  I grew up on a farm.”  Then, he got thoughtful.  “And technically, I’m still not rich.  Leia’s the rich one.”

 

“Really?”

 

He nodded.

 

Jess sighed.

 

Luke said, “Look, the best advice I can give you is to follow your heart.  If you go out into the world running after money, you might get it, but it isn’t going to make you laugh or give you butterflies in your stomach.”  He leaned his shoulder into hers.  “And who knows?  With you and that young lady working together, who’s to say you two couldn’t become rich?”

 

“That’s true,” Jess said.

 

“Follow your heart, Miss Pava,” Luke said, getting up.  “Don’t let fear or money lead you astray.”  He walked back towards the party.

 

Jess sat back and contemplated what he’d told her.

 

A few minutes later, Rey wondered by.  “Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Jess said, motioning for Rey to join her.  “Sorry about that.  I got a bit overheated is all.”

 

Rey sat down.  “No problem.”  She looked around.  “It’s nice back here.”

 

Jess stared at Rey, her hair haloed by the light falling from the lanterns.  “Yeah, it is.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Kylo sneered as he watched his parents on the dance floor.  _All these stupid games._   He turned and spied Rey and her little gal pal sitting on a bench whispering to each other.  Finn was staring googly-eyed at Dameron. 

 

Kylo fought the urge to scream.  _None of them has a right to be this happy._

_I’m going to make them all pay._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head, I modeled Rey's costume after Ruth Elder, "Miss America of Aviation" and a widely popular aviatrix of the 1920s.
> 
> For Finn's costume, I had the 1954 film Beau Brummell in mind for some reason (although I'd go a deeper purple than the image in the link).
> 
> Finally, I couldn't help a little inside joke to my fic, The Fox and the Falcon, which ends with Finn calling Poe "my Fox."


	5. Forget About the Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misunderstandings and Revelations

 

 

Jess collapsed into a big stuffed chair in the lobby.  “Well, Halperin was a bust.  Turns out he has a boyfriend on the side.”  Jess drummed her fingers along the arms of the chair. 

 

Rey sat across from her on an old ottoman.  “So what’s the plan now?”

 

“Find a new boss,” Jess said.  But her heart didn’t sound into it.

 

“Or…” Rey started.

 

“Or,” Jess asked hopefully.

 

“If you’re looking for a new job, Pava,” came a voice from the other side of the lobby, “I might have something for you.  Secretarial work, yes?”

 

Jess stood up and turned.  “Yes, Miss Phasma.”  _Damn, damn, damn._

 

The statuesque woman smiled.  “Let me contact my associate and see if he has any openings.  I think you’ll like Mr. Hux.”

 

“Great,” Jess said.  She offered Rey a sad smile and went upstairs.

 

Rey moved to the chair Jess had vacated, frowning.  _I should just tell her._

 

Phasma came back into the lobby.  “Jess—”  She looked around.

 

“Jess went upstairs to change, Miss Phasma.”

 

“Oh,” Phasma smiled.  “Well, tell her when you see her that Mr. Hux is hiring.  I’ll put his contact information in her box.”  She turned to leave and then stopped.  “Are you okay, Miss Kenobi?”

 

Rey nodded.

 

Phasma raised an eyebrow and sat down next to her.  She placed a hand on Rey’s arm and Rey had to fight hard not to flinch.  “It can be difficult in a new city.  And you don’t have any people here, do you?”

 

“My brother,” Rey said.  “But besides him, no.  We’re orphans.”  Rey inwardly cringed at the lie.

 

“Sad to be all alone in the world, isn’t it?”

 

Rey nodded.

 

“Well, if you ever need any help navigating New York, just let me know.”  Phasma stood and smiled.

 

As Phasma walked back to her office, Rey felt a shiver go up her spine.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe broke into a huge smile as he rounded the corner into their hall.   _Finn!_

 

“How was work?”

 

Finn sighed and leaned his forehead against the door.  “Long.  Boring.”  He shook his head.  “I had no idea that shipping required so much paperwork.”

 

Poe laughed and leaned his shoulder against Finn’s door.  “What you need is a break.”

 

“Yeah, right.  Kinda need to keep earning money.”

 

“Okay, well then, something to look forward to.”

 

“Sure.”  Finn leaned his shoulder against the door so he could face Poe.  “Why don’t you just tell me what you have cooked up, Poe.”

 

Poe’s smile turned sly.  “Fair enough.  So here’s the deal, Kansas…”

 

Finn groaned.  “Enough with the Kansas already!”

 

“Here’s the deal, Kansas.  I’ve been flirting with you for weeks.  I’ve timed it so we could eat together most nights.  I invited you out to the airfield to watch the show.  I gave you the best dance of your young life at the party last week.  I think I’ve put in the work.  So now it’s time.”

 

“Time?”

 

“Time for you to stop being a wet blanket and go out on a real date with me.” 

 

Finn was pretty sure his heart skipped a beat.  He broke into a wide grin.  “A date?”  He pretended to consider it. 

 

Poe held his breath. 

 

“Fine, flyboy.  One date.  But no funny business, and I insist we go dutch treat.”

 

“Okay, Kansas.  But dutch treat might be a problem.” Poe flashed him a dazzling smile. 

 

“Why,” Finn asked, not trusting that smile.

 

“Well, I think I owe you a ride in my plane.”

 

Finn went pale.

 

Poe laughed.  “Oh buddy, don’t worry.  I do this for a living.  Trust me, it’s gonna be the best date of your life!”

 

**# # # #**

 

“As far as we can tell, they aren’t taking the girls from the hotel directly.  It’s happening somewhere else,” Snap said.

 

“Phasma is clearing their rooms,” Karé added.  “I’ve found where she keeps their belongings.  But they definitely aren’t being taken from the hotel.”

 

“So where,” Leia asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Snap said with a sigh.

 

Karé shook her head.  “Me either.  But wherever it’s happening, it has something to do with these two.”  She slapped a photograph onto the table.  “The light-haired one is Armitage Hux.  He runs Snoke Insurance Corp.  Several of the girls worked there right up until they went missing.”

 

“Several but not all,” Leia asked.

 

“No,” Snap said.  “Just about half of them.”

 

“This other man is—”

 

“Kylo Ren,” Leia said.

 

“Yeah.  You know him,” Karé asked.

 

Leia pressed her lips together and nodded.  Luke put a hand on her shoulder.

 

Snap and Karé shared a confused look.

 

“Go on,” Leia said quietly.

 

“Ren is a talent agent.  We figure Phasma may be steering some of the girls towards him, but whatever is happening, it’s not going on at his office.”

 

“It’s not happening at the Snoke building either,” Karé said.  She waited a moment then added, “And that’s what we’ve got.”

 

Leia frowned.  Luke stared down at the photo.  “It’s more than we had, but it definitely isn’t enough to act.  Not yet.”

 

“Definitely not enough to go to my Captain with, either,” Snap said.

 

Leia shook her head.  “No, it isn’t.”  She let out a long breath.  “I think we’re going to have to send someone in there as bait.”  She looked around the room.  “Any ideas?”

 

**# # # #**

They sat on a park bench, quickly digging into their sandwiches.

 

“So,” Rey said between bites, “How is the new boss?”

 

Jess shrugged.  “He’s okay, I guess.  Red head.  Kinda intense.  Everything has to be just so.”  She looked up.  “He seems to like me though.”

 

_Yay_ , Rey thought.  She suddenly had a vision of Jess marrying a red-headed man, moving out of the city, and living on Long Island just down the road from Papa Han.  She shuddered and then forced herself to sound chipper.  “So what’s part two of the plan?”

 

“Flirt with him, I guess.”  Jess shook her head.  “Honestly, I’d never really planned it out this far.” 

 

Rey raised an eyebrow.  “So you just thought you’d show up and the boss would fall instantly in love with you and poof!”

 

Jess laughed.  “Something like that.”

 

Rey bumped her shoulder into Jess’s.  “You’re an idiot.”

 

“Yep,” Jess said.  She stared at Rey, happily munching on an apple.  _Such an idiot_.  Then, she took another huge bite of her sandwich.  “Come on, we’ve only got twenty more minutes before I’ve gotta be back.”

**# # # #**

“Phasma, will you stop sending me these…” Hux tried to calm down.  “Just once, couldn’t you send me someone a bit more demure?”

 

Phasma laughed on the other end of the line.  “That’s not the type we get here, Hux, and you know it.  The question is, will she work or won’t she?”

 

“She’ll work,” Hux said.  “I figure next week, we’ll send her down to the warehouse.”

 

“Good.  We sent Emily to the park today, and I’ve got another one lined up as well.  Pretty little thing.  I think she’s more the actress type, so I’ll see what Ren has to say.”

 

Hux sighed.  “Yes, and he has a side project for us.  Seems there are two interlopers hording in on the family money.”

 

“The family money,” Phasma said.  “It would be nice to get ahold of some of that.”

 

“Well, my dear Phasma, that’s the plan.”

 

**# # # #**

It was the same nightmare he always had.

 

He was still on the streets, still picking pockets with Rey.  Only this time, it wasn’t Han who caught up with them, but some sort of faceless monster.  It grabbed Rey and Finn tried to get back to her, but he never could.

 

He always woke up screaming.

 

He lay in bed for a few minutes, panting.  _It’s only a dream.  We’re safe.  Papa Han is safe.  Everything is okay._

 

Finn stood up and stretched his neck _.  I’ll go splash some water on my face_ , he thought.  _That will help._

 

As he cracked open his door, he heard laughter and voices coming from Poe’s room.  He felt guilty, but he crept forward anyway.  The door was slightly ajar.  Poe was sitting on his bed talking to someone, but Finn couldn’t make out who.  Then, the person laughed again and Poe hissed, “Shhhhh, you want us to get caught?”

 

A very decidedly feminine voice said, “Sorry, Poe. I promise to keep it down.”

 

“You better,” Poe said and the two of them dissolved into giggles.

 

Finn backed away from the door and went back to his room.  He didn’t need the cool water any more.

 

He sat on his bed.  _I don’t have any right to feel jealous_ , he said to himself.  _He never made me any promises and we never…  He’s been flirting with me for weeks now!_  

 

Finn’s shock quickly dissolved into anger.  _Damn dirty-dealing two-timer!_

 

Finn punched the mattress and vowed not to get sucked in by the ol’ Dameron charm again.  _Besides, what do I need with love…_

 

**# # # #**

 

Two days later, Finn was rushing to get ready for work.  There was a quick knock on his door.  Finn opened it to find Poe, smiling, on the other side. 

 

“So I was thinking tomorrow morning for our date?  Will that work for you?”

 

Finn shook his head and moved past Poe, closing the door and locking it.  “I don’t think so, Mr. Dameron.”

 

“Mister…  Finn, what’s up?”

 

“What’s up, Mr. Dameron, is that I’ve decided that it wouldn’t be a good idea to go out with you tomorrow.  Or any other time, for that matter.”

 

Finn started down the hall.

 

“Finn, what in the world…”  Poe started jogging after Finn.  “Wait!  What in the kriff happened?” 

 

Finn stepped on the elevator.  “Maybe you should ask your girlfriend about that.”

 

The doors closed and Poe stood in the hall completely flummoxed.  “Girlfriend?”

**# # # #**

 

“No, no, no,” Kylo raged.  “It’s all wrong!  Try again!”

 

Rey took a deep breath and threw her head back.  “I don’t know what you want me to do.”

 

“I want you to do it better!”

 

“I…”  She shut her eyes and shook her head.  “I can’t do this.” She walked over to the chair where she’d dumped her jacket and purse.  “I quit.”

 

“Of course you do,” he screamed after her.  “Stupid cow!”

 

Rey spun and charged at him.  “And you’re nothing but a no-talent hack whose only ability seems to be yelling at people to make himself feel more important than he is.”

 

She spun again and stormed out.

 

Kylo threw his coffee mug at the wall.  He screamed at Mitaka, “Get me Hux!”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Okay, so where in the hell would he get the idea I have a girlfriend?”

 

“I don’t know,” Jess said, chomping into her sandwich.  “You are a big ‘ol flirt.”

 

Poe frowned.  “Yeah, but not as much lately.  I’ve been concentrating all my powers of flirtation on him.”

 

Jess laughed and swallowed.  “Powers of flirtation?  Damn near choked there, Dameron.”

 

Poe shrugged.  “What can I say?  I’m a mighty good flirt.”

 

Jess rolled her eyes and refocused on her sandwich.

 

Poe sighed.  “But seriously, what in the hell is going on in his head?”

 

“Have you tried asking?”

 

“He won’t talk to me.”

 

“Then figure out another way, Poe.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn looked down at the flowers leaning against his door.  A bundle of daisies.  He picked them up and looked at the handwritten card tucked into them.

 

_Sorry.  Can we please talk?_

_~Poe_

_It couldn’t hurt to talk_ , Finn thought, unlocking his door. 

 

Then, he remembered the feeling of hearing Poe and that woman laughing with each other.  _No.  I will not get sucked back into his games._   Finn sighed.  _No matter how sweet he is._   He threw the daisies on the bed.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn groaned.  Sitting on his typewriter was a bunch of daises with a card that simply read:

 

_Please?_

_~Poe_

 

He grabbed the daisies and shoved them into the trash can.

 

The phone rang.  “Solo Shipping.  Finn Kenobi speaking.  How may I help you?”

 

“Finn, it’s Poe.  Please don’t hang up!”

 

“Poe,” Finn hissed into the phone.  “Why are you calling me at work?”

 

“Because you won’t talk to me.”

 

“That’s right.  So, maybe you’ll take the hint, flyboy, and stop irritating me!”  Finn slammed down the receiver.

 

“Problem, Mr. Kenobi?”  Finn’s boss, Mr. Plutt, asked.

 

“No, sir.”

 

His phone began to ring again.

 

Finn groaned and picked it up.

 

“Finn, please…”

 

“Mr. Dameron, I never want to speak to you again!”  Finn hung up the phone.

 

“Mr. Kenobi, you aren’t supposed to make personal calls on that line.”

 

“I know that, Mr. Plutt.  I didn’t ask him to call.  I don’t want him to call.  I never want to talk to Poe Dameron again!”

 

Plutt seemed to understand.  “Good,” he said.  “You’re better off without him.”  He leaned in, as if sharing a profound secret.  “Forget about the boy.  Get yourself a cat.  You’ll be better off.”

 

As Mr. Plutt walked away, Finn nodded and smiled.   _Forget about the boy._

 

He sighed.  _If only it were that easy._

 

**# # # #**

 

“Hey Jess, have you seen Emily?”

 

“Emily from the second floor—that Emily?”

 

“Yeah,” said Karé, leaning against the wall.

 

“No,” Jess said.  “Not for a few days.”

 

Karé frowned.  “Thanks, Jess.”  She walked down the hall.

 

Jess stared after her, the feeling that she was missing something really big fluttering in her stomach, but then, Rey opened her door and all of Jess’s focus went to her.  “Ready?”

 

Rey nodded.

 

**# # # #**

 

As they slid into the booth with Finn, he pushed forward the newspaper.  “Another article on all of those missing girls.”  He fixed his eyes on the two of them.  “So I want you two to be extra careful, okay?”

 

Rey rolled her eyes, but Jess picked up the paper and scanned the article.  “That’s strange,” she mumbled.

 

“What,” asked Rey.

 

“Karé was asking me about Emily tonight.  She lived on the second floor.  Seems she’s gone.”  Jess frowned.  “And then, just before you came to Miss Phasma’s, there was Sarah…”  Jess shivered.

 

Finn leaned forward.  “Jess, how many girls from Miss Phasma’s have gone missing recently?”

 

“I don’t know,” Jess said, “but I think I should have a talk with Karé.”

 

The group fell into an uneasy silence.

 

After their food arrived, Jess turned to Finn.  “So, are you gonna tell me what’s up between you and Poe?”

 

“No,” Finn said, suddenly interested in his pot roast.

 

Jess frowned and crossed her arms in front of her.  “Finn.”

 

He sighed.  “We’re just not right for each other.”

 

“Baloney!”

 

“Jess!”

 

“She’s right,” Rey said, swallowing a bite of her apple pie.  “You’ve been keen on him for weeks and suddenly, you’re not.  What’s that all about?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Finn said, reaching into his pocket, grabbing some bills, throwing them on the table and scooting out.  “I’ll talk to you later.”  He walked out of the diner.

 

“Finn,” Jess said.

 

Rey shook her head.  “Let him cool off.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Wanna hang out,” Jess asked as they got back to the hotel.

 

Rey shook her head.  “Not tonight.”

 

“You sure,” Jess asked.

 

“Yeah,” Rey said.  She shrugged.  “I think I’ll make an early night of it tonight.  And besides, you need your beauty sleep, right?  You have a boss to snare, after all.  Gotta marry well and all that.”

 

Jess frowned.  _That was a bit pointed_.  “Yeah, you’re right.”

 

Jess slammed her door just a bit as she got to her room.  _What right does she have to judge me?  If I want to marry rich, I’ll marry rich.  Why should she care?_

 

Jess kicked her shoes off.  She stomped to her bed and sat down, staring at her door.  _Why does this hurt so much?_

 

**# # # #**

 

Rey sat on her bed.  _I will not cry._   She turned her head and looked at her door.  _She told me this was her plan from the very beginning_.

 

_Dammit, Jess._

 

**# # # #**

 

“So how is it with the new boss?”

 

“Hmmmmm?”

 

“The new boss,” Poe asked.

 

Jess shrugged.  “He’s okay, I guess.  Not married.  No girlfriend or boyfriend as far as I could tell.”

 

“But?”

 

“But?  No, no buts.  Maybe this one will take.”

 

“Doesn’t sound like you want that to happen, Testor.”

 

Jess’s chin sunk onto her fist as she stirred her coffee.  “Oh, I don’t know.  I guess I just thought it would be different.  I figured that being rich would…”  She sighed.

 

“Maybe your heart’s not into this because it’s already someplace else?”

 

She looked up at Poe and he raised his eyebrow.  _Come on, Testor, you aren’t dumb_.

 

“Rey?”

 

“Yes, Rey,” Poe laughed.  “Have you thought about talking to her about it?”

 

_Yes, of course I have_.  Jess frowned.  “She hates me.”

 

“I seriously doubt that.”

 

“Plus, what am I supposed to say?  Hey, you’re poor and I’m poor.  Why don’t we go be poor together?”

 

“How about _I like you.  Let’s date_.”

 

“You make it sound so easy,” Jess said.

 

“It could be.”

 

“Yeah, right.”  Jess looked back up at Poe.  “What about with Finn?”

 

“What about it?  I told you.  He turned Jekyll and Hyde on me.  One day we’re flirting in the hall.  The next it’s _Mr. Dameron_ and he’s talking about my girlfriend.”

 

“And you still haven’t figured out who it could be?”

 

“No!”  Poe shook his head.  “I mean, I know I’m friendly, but the only women in my life besides Leia are you, Rey and…”  He leaned his head back and groaned.  “Bee.”

 

“Bee?”

 

“She stopped by my room the other night.  You don’t think…”

 

Jess’s hand flew to her mouth.  “Oh no, Poe.  If he heard the two of you, he might have thought…”

 

“Kriffing hell,” Poe said, already scrambling to get out of the booth.  “I’ve got to go talk to him and try to explain.”

 

“Go get your boy,” she said.

 

Poe stopped.  “How about you go get your girl as well?”

 

“She’s not my…”  Jess looked up.  _Stop lying to yourself, Pava_.  “You know what, Dameron, you’re right.”  Jess smiled.  “It’s time to follow my heart.”

 

**# # # #**

“I’m sorry,” Jess said as Rey came in the lobby.

 

“Sorry?  For what?”

 

“For the other night…I felt like we…” Jess stammered.

 

“Oh, no, that was my fault.”  Rey hugged Jess.  “I was tired.”  _And jealous_.

 

“So we’re good,” Jess asked.

 

Rey nodded.  “Always.”

 

“Good.  Because there’s something I want to tell you,” Jess said.

 

“Yeah?”  Rey looked so eager.

 

_Do it, Pava.  Just tell her_.  “I wanted to tell you that…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“That…”

 

Rey’s look of anticipation was turning into one of worry.

 

_Come on, Pava.  You can do this_.  “That...  I’m really looking forward to having lunch with you tomorrow.”  _Dammit, Pava!_

 

“Oh,” Rey said, clearly disappointed.  She then forced a smile.  “Me too.”

**# # # #**

 

Finn was dreading going back to his room.  He knew Poe was going to want to talk, and he knew that if he wasn’t careful, he was going to fall for one of Poe’s tricks.  _He’s a liar and a cheat and you can do better,_ Finn thought to himself as he walked towards the hotel. 

 

He didn’t see the man until it was too late.  A hand reached out from the alleyway and grabbed Finn.  His back was slammed against the wall before he could even register what was happening.

 

“What the hell?”

 

“So you’re Finn,” the man sneered.

 

Finn looked him up and down.  He was tall and thin with stringy black hair and narrow black eyes.  “Who the hell are you?”

 

“I’m Kylo Ren, you…you…stupid piece of…”

 

Finn shoved the man.  “How about you don’t finish that thought?”

 

The man’s voice rose.  “I don’t know what your game is Finn _Kenobi_ , but I’m going to see to it that you and your sister get what’s coming to you.”

 

Finn rushed at the man.  “If you even think about my sister, I swear—”

 

Ren laughed as he pushed Finn away.  “Oh, is that a sore spot for the pampered little rich boy?  Sister can’t take care of herself?”

 

“I’m sure Rey could take you,” Finn spat out.  “But she’s not gonna get a chance.”  He charged at Ren again. 

 

This time, Kylo swung at him.  Finn dodged and punched Ren in the stomach.  Ren screeched and grabbed Finn’s shoulders.  He rammed Finn into the wall.  “You damn dirty piece of…”

 

Finn felt the air knocked out of him.  He tried to shrug off the man, but Ren just laughed and leaned in.  “I’m gonna hurt you, gutter rat.  You’ll see.  You take something from me?  I’m gonna take something from you.”  He pushed off of Finn and ran away.

 

Finn stood there panting and shaking for several minutes.  Then, he ran out into the street and hailed a cab.

 

**# # # #**

Chewie opened the door and smiled.  He nodded to Finn and motioned for him to come in.

 

“Where’s Papa Han?”

 

Chewie pointed to the back room.

 

“Can you pay the cabbie, Chewie?” 

 

Chewie nodded.

 

Finn walked in to find Han studying the paper.  He smiled when he saw Finn.

 

“Finn!  What are you doing here?  Did you finally get tired of city living?”

 

“I had a run-in today with a real mess of a guy, but he said something that…”  Finn avoided meeting Han’s eye.  He sat down, grabbing at his knees.  “I know you don’t want to talk about any of this, but I have a feeling that Rey might be in danger.”  He looked up.  “Who is Kylo Ren?”

 

Han looked as if he’d been slapped.  “How is Rey in danger?”

 

“Answer the question, papa.”

 

Han’s face turned red and the silence stretched out for what felt like years.  Finally, Han said, “He’s Ben.  He’s my son.”

 

Finn closed his eyes and gripped his knees even tighter. 

 

“Now, how is he a danger to Rey?”

 

“He’s a talent agent, papa.  He’s _her_ talent agent.”  Finn looked up.  “That’s why she wanted to go to the city.  She wants to be an actress… well, or a pilot.  But anyway, she’s been working with him for a few weeks.  Then, tonight, he grabs me and pushes me up against the wall of an alley.  Called me all sorts of things that I’m not gonna repeat.  Told me that he was going to make sure I felt his pain.”  He pushed himself up off the couch.  “What happened, papa?”

 

“That doesn’t concer—”

 

“Like hell it doesn’t!  If he could get to me, he can get to her.”

 

“And you just left her there in the city all alone,” Han demanded, rising.

 

“No.  I stopped by Miss Phasma’s before I came here, and I have Jess watching her until I can get back.”

 

“Jess?  Who is Jess?”

 

Finn smiled.  “Well, I figure someday soon, she’s gonna be your daughter-in-law.  At the moment, she lives across the hall from Rey.  Don’t worry.  She’s a tough one.  Like Rey.”  Finn’s eyes narrowed.  “Now, back to the question at hand.  What happened?”

 

Han looked at Finn and shook his head.  He sat back down.  “I don’t know, Finn.”  He looked back up at Finn.  “I really don’t know.”  Finn walked over and sat beside him.  Han continued, “He was a happy kid and then…he wasn’t.  He ran away when he was fourteen.  We found him and we sent him to live with his Uncle Luke because we thought that might help, but things just got worse.  He ran away again and again until finally…”  Han sighed.  “We got word of him about six years ago.  Well, I assume Leia had people on it like I did.  She and Luke are journalists, after all.”

 

“Is that why you two…”

 

Han nodded.  “It wasn’t the only thing, but it was enough to tip the scales.”  Han’s fingers tightened around his glass.  “I would kill for a drink right now.”

 

Finn frowned.

 

“Don’t worry, kid.  It’s only water,” Han said.  “I haven’t touched that stuff in…”

 

“Not since me and Rey,” Finn said quietly.

 

Han stood up and pulled his son into a hug.  “I love you, Finn.  You know that, right?  You and your sister are…”

 

“I know, papa.”  He closed his eyes and hugged his father even tighter.

 

**# # # #**

Nien tapped his watch and showed it to Poe. 

 

“I know.  Just,” Poe really looked at the watch, “Crap!  Two more minutes!”

 

Nien huffed.  “I’ll be in the lobby.”

 

Poe paced in front of Finn’s door.  “Come on, Kansas.  Come home already.  Let me explain this to you.”  _Stupid kriffing job!  Why do we have to leave tonight anyway?!?_

 

Poe paced for three more minutes before letting out a small scream and jogging to the elevator.  When he got to the lobby, he found Mr. L’ulo.  “Lu, can you tell Finn I need to talk to him.  It’s important.  Tell him I’ll meet him here in the lobby after my show tomorrow.  Tomorrow night at seven.  Okay?”

 

Lu nodded and smiled.  “I’ll tell him.”

**# # # #**

 

“He’s Han’s son,” Rey asked, sinking back down into the booth.

 

Finn nodded.  “He changed his name when he ran away.  Seems he’s pretty messed up, peanut.”

 

“I’ll say.”  Rey kept shaking her head.  “Shoulda trusted my gut.  That guy gave me the heebie jeebies the first time I…”  Finally, her eyes fixed on Finn’s.  “Do you think he knew who I was when he…”

 

Finn nodded.  “I’m almost certain he knows who we are.”

 

Rey shivered. 

 

For several moments, they sat in silence.

 

“And he threatened you?”

 

Finn nodded.

 

“I’m going to rip his heart out,” Rey said quietly, but not so quietly that a passing waitress didn’t startle and give Rey a second glance.

 

Finn chuckled.  “I can take care of myself.”

 

“So?  I’m still going to rip his heart out.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn paced the lobby, and with every circuit, he got just a bit angrier.  He glanced up at the clock.  It read 7:20pm. 

 

“First, he cheats on me,” Finn said to Rey, who was curled up on a nearby couch.  “Then, he tells me to meet him here to hear him out,” he spun in front of the check-in desk and stomped back towards her, “and now, he’s late.  Twenty minutes late!”

 

“I’m sure he has a good reason, Finn,” Rey said, frowning.  _Come on, Dameron.  You’re a nice guy, but this is pushing it._

 

“I should just leave.”

 

“Give him a few more minutes.”

 

The phone in Lu’s office rang, and they both stared at the check-in desk.

 

“Maybe that’s him,” Rey said.

 

“Yeah, right.”

 

Lu came out of the office.  “Are you Rey?”

 

“Yes.”  Rey looked at Finn.  _Who would know I’m here?_

 

“I’ve got a Jess Pava on the line.  Says it’s urgent.”

 

Rey jumped up and ran to Lu’s office.  Finn was fast on her heels.

 

“Jess?  Yeah…  Yeah, he’s here…  What?  What?  Okay, slow down.  Where did they take him?”  She motioned for Lu to give her a pencil and paper.  As soon as he did, she said, “What’s the address?  Sure, Jess, we’ll be right there.”  She hung up the phone.

 

“There’s been an accident.”

 

 


	6. Recuperation and Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get better... before they get a whole lot worse.

 

Finn and Rey burst through the front doors of the hospital.  Rey pointed to the far end of the lobby where Jess was pacing.

 

Rey ran over and hugged her.  “How is he?”

 

Jess was chewing on her fingernails.  “We don’t know.  They haven’t told us anything yet.”  She tried to smile.  “I’ll take you guys to the waiting room.”

 

It felt like a dream.  Finn knew this was happening and yet…  It didn’t feel real.  He grabbed Rey’s hand. 

 

She squeezed.  “It’ll be okay.  Poe is amazing.  He’ll pull through.”

 

Jess took them to a corner of the waiting room where Leia, Nien, and a few of the other pilots were waiting.  “Anything?”

 

Leia shook her head.  “No word yet.”

 

Finn collapsed into a chair.  “What happened?”

 

“Mechanical problem with Black One,” Nien said.  “One in a million kind of thing, and if it had been anyone other than Poe flying, they would’ve died instantly.”

 

Finn flinched.  Rey hugged her brother.

 

**# # # #**

 

A few hours later, Jess had taken Nien and the pilots to try to find something to eat.  Finn kept staring at the doors to the waiting room, hoping that a doctor would appear to tell them that Poe was fine.  Instead, a very tired-looking Luke Skywalker came in.  He walked straight over to Leia and crouched in front of her chair.

 

“And,” she asked.

 

“It was definitely sabotage.”

 

Leia took in a sharp breath.

 

“You’re sure?”

 

“I checked it.  Snap checked it.  Three other people checked it.  Someone deliberately sabotaged his plane.”

 

Finn felt his entire being go cold _.  I’m gonna hurt you, you gutter rat…_

 

“Kylo Ren,” he whispered. 

 

Leia’s and Luke’s heads snapped to him.

 

“What,” Luke asked.

 

“Kylo Ren,” Finn said.  “He said he was going to hurt me.  Said I took something he loved so he was gonna take something from me.  I figured that meant he was going to try to go after Rey or Papa Han.  I never figured…”  Both of his hands flew to his head.  “I’m gonna be sick.”

 

Rey started patting his back.  “It makes sense,” she said to Luke and Leia.  “It would be a way to hurt us while hurting the two of you as well.”

 

“So you know about us…and about him,” Leia asked.

 

“We knew about you from the beginning.  Papa Han told me about Ben yesterday,” Finn said through his hands.

 

Leia gave Finn a sad smile.  “It’s nice to meet you, officially.”  She turned to Rey.  “Both of you.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Somehow Poe managed to escape the crash that destroyed his plane with only a few broken ribs and a broken arm.  He was also pretty thoroughly scratched up, and there were some horrible bruises on his face and legs, but thankfully, that was the worst of it.

 

The doctors still couldn’t figure out how he’d survived, let alone how he’d managed to get out so relatively unscathed, but they were content that he would make a full recovery.

 

_Now, if he’d just wake up_ , Finn thought, pacing Poe’s hospital room. 

 

Somehow Leia had managed to get Poe a private room, and given the sheer number of people currently in it, that was a very good thing.  Jess and Rey were asleep in one corner; Luke and Leia were whispering in another.  Nien and the pilots were sitting on the floor at the far end playing cards.

 

Finn was the only one who couldn’t sit still.  He kept pacing and watching Poe.  Rey had tried to get him to sit, but eventually even she conceded and let him walk away his nerves.

 

_Just wake up, Poe.  Just wake up_.  Finn felt like he’d been repeating that mantra for hours. 

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn had lost all sense of time.  He jerked and realized he’d been sleeping.  He looked around the room.  Only the dim bedside lamp was on.  Rey and Jess were still huddled together asleep.  The pilots had spread across the floor and were all out.  Even Luke and Leia were dozing.

 

Finn scooted his chair closer to Poe’s bed.  _When did I sit down?_

 

He frowned and stared at Poe’s bed.  _Please wake up._

 

Finn took Poe’s good hand and squeezed.  _I’m so sorry I cancelled our date._

 

Poe groaned.

 

“Poe,” Finn whispered.

 

Poe eyes fluttered open.

 

“Poe?”

 

Poe turned to look at him and tried to smile.  He croaked, “Kansas, buddy, you look terrible.”

 

Finn laughed and leaned forward, kissing Poe’s forehead.  Tears were leaking from his eyes.

  
“Buddy, it’s okay.”

 

Finn leaned his forehead into Poe’s.  “You gotta promise me you’ll never do that again, Poe.”

 

“Sure, I promise.”  Poe looked around the room.  “What did I do?”

 

“You nearly got yourself killed is what you did.”

 

“Kriff.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Everyone else had gone to work, but Finn was refusing to leave.  In fact, except when the nurses or Poe explicitly told him to stop, he was refusing to let go of Poe’s hand.

 

For his part, Poe couldn’t help smiling like a sap.  _Nothing like a near death experience to get a guy to finally come around_ , he figured.

 

It was late in the afternoon when the girl came running in, screeching, “Poe!”

 

She had a head full of big, red curls and a face full of freckles and huge green eyes.  She looked to be about fourteen or fifteen.  And she looked furious. 

 

Finn wasn’t quite sure what to make of her.

 

“Bee,” Poe said, letting go of Finn’s hand to motion the girl to him.  Her angry demeanor changed instantly.  She smiled as she jumped towards Poe; he hugged her.  “Ooph!  Easy, Bee.  Easy.  How are you?”

 

“How am I?  Really?  You’re in the hospital, Poe!”

 

Poe laughed.  “Yeah, but I’m fine.  Aren’t I, Finn?”

 

The girl turned, wide-eyed.  “You’re Finn?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

She smiled and turned back to Poe.  “This is Finn?”

 

“That’s what he said.”

 

She moved from Poe and extended her hand.  “I’m Bee.  Nice to meet you.”

 

Finn shook her hand and shot Poe a confused look.

 

“Finn, this is Bee.  She’s basically my little sister.”

 

“Basically,” Bee demanded.

 

“Well, Bee, we ain’t blood is what I meant.”

 

“Yeah, so?”

 

“Fine.  Finn, this is my little sister, Bee.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Bee.  That short for anything?”

 

“No,” she said.

 

“Yes,” Poe said.  “It’s short for Beatrice Belle.  BeeBee for short and Bee for extra short.”

 

“So…,” Finn started to ask.

 

Poe laughed.  “So, how did I come to adopt this crazy ball of fire,” Poe said, ruffling Bee’s curls.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“She tried to pick my pocket.”

 

Finn’s chest constricted, but he managed to remain calm; he even raised an eyebrow.  “Really?”

 

“Yep, but she wasn’t very good.”

 

“Oy!  I was very good.”  Bee looked down.  “You were just slightly better.”

 

Poe laughed.  “What was that six, seven years ago?”

 

“Seven,” the girl said.  She turned to Finn.  “Dameron here grabs my arm and then he gets this sappy look on his face and he says _Nope, I can’t do it,_ and I can’t figure out who he’s talking to, but the next thing I know, he’s handing me a sawbuck and offering to buy me dinner.”

 

Finn flashed back to that car ride with Han all those years ago.  _I was so terrified_.

 

“Yeah, and like any good stray cat, she kept coming back, so eventually I decided to take her in.  Only the state of New York doesn’t let shiftless single stunt pilots without a cent to their names adopt little girls, so I set her up with Sister Kaydel over at the Sisters of Mercy until I have a place of my own.”

 

Bee smiled at Poe.  She walked over and sat down next to Finn.  “So tell me, Finn, why have you been giving big brother here such a hard time?”

 

Finn had to shake himself out of his memories of Papa Han.  “I’m sorry, what?”

 

“Bee, leave him alone.”

 

“No, I wanna know.  One minute, you’re agreeing to go on dates with him.  The next, you’re standing him up.  What gives?”

 

“Bee,” Poe said.  “It was a misunderstanding.  He’s a good guy.”

 

“Oh, I’ll be the judge of that,” she said, fixing Finn with a steady stare.  “So, what’s your story, Finn?”

 

“Bee!”

 

“Poe!  He’s wearing your jacket.  I think that means I’ve got the right to ask.”

 

Finn looked down.  He’d had the jacket so long at this point, he’d forgotten it was really Poe’s.  He started to shrug it off.

 

“No,” Poe said.  “Keep it.  It suits you.”

 

Finn blushed as he pulled it back on.

 

Bee rolled her eyes at that.  “Yeah, so as I was saying, what’s the story, Finn?”

 

“Bee, let him be!”

 

“No, it’s okay, Poe.”  Finn looked Bee in the eye.  “I thought he was cheating on me.”

 

“Him?  Cheating?”  Bee started laughing.  “Dameron’s about the straightest arrow you’re ever gonna meet.”

 

Finn looked past Bee to Poe.  “I’m starting to figure that out.”

 

“But why did you think he was cheating?”

 

“I heard him and a girl in his room late one night and—”

 

“Oh kriff!”

 

“Bee, language!”

 

Bee turned and stuck out her tongue at Poe.  She turned back around.  “That was me!  Sometimes I sneak away from the Sisters, come and see Poe.  But Lu doesn’t allow women past the lobby, so…”

 

“Yeah, I think I had that figured out about two seconds after you came in here,” Finn said.

 

“Good,” Bee said.  “So, that means you’ll go out with him when he gets outta here?”

 

“Bee,” Poe pleaded.

 

“Oh don’t _Bee_ me.  You’ve been stuck on this one forever.”

 

Poe turned beet red.

 

Finn laughed.  “Yes, Bee, as soon as he’s healed up, I’ll go out with him.”

 

“Good.”  Bee said.  She leaned back into her chair.  “About time you two did something about this.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Your big plan was to kill his boyfriend,” Hux sneered.  “Really, Kylo?  We aren’t amateurs here.”

 

“I know that!  Did you really think that was the extent of things?”  Kylo let out an exaggerated sigh. 

 

“Well, I certainly hope not, seeing as how it didn’t work.”

 

Kylo growled at that.  After a moment, he said, “How was I supposed to know he’d survive?  The plane crashed, didn’t it?”

 

Hux rolled his eyes and shook his head.  “What’s part two of this plan?  Are we going to put salt in their sugar bowls?  Write them a sternly-worded letter?”

 

“Enough,” Kylo roared.  “Next, we go after _her_.”

 

Hux said, “And how exactly are we going to do that?”

 

“Phasma,” Kylo said, “you have a girl staying there, Rey Kenobi.”

 

“Yes,” Phasma said.  “You know her?  She was next on my list.  Right after Hux’s new secretary.”

 

“She’s our new target,” Kylo said.  “So instead of the whole park routine, do you think you can get her alone?”

 

“Of course,” Phasma said.  “Those girls trust me.”

 

Kylo laughed.  “Good.  It’s time to make dear old dad pay.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“So how was he,” Jess asked, frowning at her chipped nail.

 

“Good.  Finn says he’s gonna get out tomorrow.  His arm will be in a cast for a while and his ribs are gonna be sore, but otherwise, he’s good to go.”

 

“He’s so kriffing lucky,” Jess said.

 

“Tell me about it,” Rey murmured, trying to decide if she wanted to paint her toenails or not.

 

“So Finn’s staying there tonight,” Jess asked.

 

“You mean, like he has every other night this week?”  Rey smiled and looked up.  “Yeah.  I think those two finally figured things out.”

 

“It’s about time,” Jess said, looking up and meeting Rey’s gaze.

 

“Yeah,” Rey said quietly.

 

_It’s now or never, Pava_.  “I’m an idiot,” Jess blurted out.

 

“What?”

 

“Damn,” Jess said.  “Uh.”  She stood and looked around.  _Damn, damn, damn!  This is bad.  Say something!_   “I said I was an idiot.”

 

“Yeah, I heard that.  I just didn’t understand why.”

 

Jess opened her mouth and then closed it.  She opened it again.  “Oh kriffing hell.”  She threw herself face down on her bed.  “Because I’m crazy about you,” said her very muffled voice.

 

Rey stood.  “What?”

 

Jess turned her head and said quietly, “I said I’m crazy about you.”

 

Rey made a strange little hiccup of a sound.  She looked around the room.  _Is this really happening?_

 

Jess rolled over and stared at her.  “Say something.”

 

“I’m crazy about you, too.”

 

Jess sat up.  “You are?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Why didn’t you say something?”

 

“Because you have a plan.”

 

“The plan?  Screw the plan,” Jess said standing.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah,” Jess said.

 

Rey laughed.  “But what about being rich?”

 

“Being rich is overrated.  Long as I’m here with you, I’m good,” Jess said.  She stepped forward, crowding into Rey’s space.  “So can I kiss you now?”

 

“Kriff, yes,” Rey said, pouncing on Jess. 

 

They collapsed into a happy heap of giggles on Jess’s bed.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Miss Pava?”

 

“Yes, sir,” Jess said, her head snapping up from the typewriter.

 

“I’ll need you to work through lunch today if we’re going to get that letter out to Finalizer Industries on time.  You’ll probably want to tell your regular…companion that you won’t be able to meet her.”

 

“Yes, Mr. Hux.”

 

“Also, I’ll need you to run the letter down there personally.  It’s down near the docks.”

 

“Okay,” she said.  _Since when do I deliver letters?_

 

He slammed the door to his office.

 

Jess picked up the telephone at her desk and pressed in the number to Miss Phasma’s.  _Please still be there._

 

“Hello, Miss Phasma, could I speak to Rey please?”

 

After a moment, Rey came on the line.

 

“Hey sweetie,” Jess rolled her eyes at herself.

 

“Really, Jess, _sweetie,_ ” Rey asked over the phone.

 

“Yeah, I’m gonna stick with Rey for the time being.  We’ll come up with better pet names later.  Anyway, Mr. Hux wants me to work over lunch, so I’m afraid you’re on your own today, okay?”

 

“Oh,” Rey couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice.  “Okay.”

 

“I promise I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

 

“I’m holding you to that,” Rey said.

 

“I’m hoping you’re gonna be holding other things to me,” Jess said in a low voice.

 

“Jess!”

 

“Yeah, right,” Jess said, blushing at her own forwardness.  “Later.  Bye!”

 

“Bye!”  Rey hung up.

 

**# # # #**

 

“No lunch plans today,” Miss Phasma asked.

 

“No, Jess has to work,” Rey said.

 

“Shame,” Phasma said, shaking her head.  “Would you like to join me?”  She gestured to the office behind the counter.

 

Rey really wanted to say _no_ , but instead, she nodded her head.  “Thank you, Miss Phasma.”

 

“You’re most welcome, Rey.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Mr. Hux said the three of you were good,” Kylo said.

 

“The best,” the apparent leader, Nines, said.

 

“Good.”  Kylo shoved a photograph towards them.  “Here’s the guy.  It has to look like a mugging gone sideways.”

 

“Hey,” said one of them, “it’s the rube we pinched over near Resistance.”

 

“You already know him,” Kylo asked.

 

Nines smiled.  “We got his wallet about two months ago.”  He laughed.  “This one’s a pushover.  He’ll be no problem.”

 

“Good,” Kylo said.  “I want it done tonight.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more chapters left...


	7. Kidnapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren and his group make their move.
> 
> Finn, Leia, and the others make theirs. 
> 
> Who will win?

 

 

Mr. Hux was going to be mad, but Jess just had this strange feeling in her gut that she needed to stop back by Miss Phasma’s before delivering the letter to Finalizer Industries.

 

She ran upstairs to Rey’s room.  “Rey?”  Jess knocked.  “Rey, you there?”

 

Jess bounded down the stairs and up to the front desk.  “Miss Phasma, have you seen Rey?”

 

Phamsa seemed a bit surprised to see Jess.  She composed herself and shook her head.  “No, not since your telephone call this morning.  She seemed upset; she wandered out, but I didn’t see where.”

 

Jess frowned.  _Rey, where did you go?_

 

Karé put down her paper and frowned.  _Phasma must not have seen me this afternoon_.  She caught Jess’s eye from across the lobby and nodded towards the front door.  She got up and left.

 

About two minutes later, Jess joined her across the street.  “Okay, what’s up, Kun?”

 

“Phasma’s lying.”

 

“What?”

 

“She invited Rey into her office for lunch right after your phone call.  I guess she didn’t see me because I was sitting on the stairs.”  Karé frowned.  “I think something bad may have happened to your friend.”

 

Jess turned red.  “I’m gonna—”

 

Karé grabbed her arm.  “No!”

 

“No?  Are you outta your mind?  If she did something to Rey, I’ve gotta…”

 

Karé spoke in low tones, “Jess, I can’t explain everything right now, but there is something much bigger going on.  And besides, I’m almost certain that if she did do something to Rey, she’s hidden the evidence by now.  Do you have people you trust, who can help us?”

 

“Yeah, Poe and Finn,” Jess said.

 

“Okay, you go get them.  I’ll call my contacts, and we’ll meet back here in twenty minutes?”

 

“Okay,” Jess said, still a bit unsure.

 

“Trust me, Pava,” Karé said.

 

Jess nodded and ran off to find the boys.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Well, well, well, what do we have here,” Nines asked as he walked straight up to Finn.

 

Finn said, “Get out of my way.”

 

Suddenly, there were two men behind him.  They pushed him into the alley.

 

_I really hate this kriffing alley_ , Finn thought. 

 

“I said, get out of my way,” Finn repeated.

 

“No.  See, how this is gonna work is, we’re gonna kill you, make it look like a mugging.”

 

Finn took a breath and shrugged out of his jacket.  “You’re gonna try and you’re gonna fail,” he said.

 

Nines laughed.  “Boys, get him.”

 

**# # # #**

 

The note arrived by messenger.

 

_We have your daughter.  If you ever want to see her alive again, bring $100,000_

_to the old Kenobi warehouse near the docks at midnight tonight._

 

Han’s hand shook.  “Chewie,” he roared, “get the car.  I need to find Finn and Rey right now.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Lu, where’s Poe or Finn?”

 

The old guy shrugged.  Jess scowled at him and started up the stairs to Poe’s room.  “Poe!  Poe,” she was screaming.

 

Poe stuck his head out of his door.  _Did someone just…_

 

“Poe!”

 

Poe ran out of his room and towards the stairs.  Jess nearly collided with him.  “Poe, where’s Finn?”

 

“I don’t know.”  He looked at his watch.  “He should be back here any minute.  What’s going on?”

 

“It’s Rey,” she said, tugging him towards the stairs.

 

“Hey, watch the arm, Pava!”

 

As they reached the lobby, Bastian ran in.  “You guys should see it.  There’s these three guys getting themselves torn up across the street, and that new guy—”

 

“Finn,” Poe yelled, already moving.

 

Poe and Jess rounded the corner to the alley and both froze.

 

Finn stood, panting, his hands still in fists.  There were three men on the ground in front of him—all unconscious.

 

Finn spun, ready to give out more if need be.

 

“What in the hell,” Poe heard himself yell.

 

Finn lowered his fists and smiled.  “I was distracted when they tried to mug me that first time, flyboy,” Finn said, picking up his jacket and putting it back on.  “Believe it or not, I can take care of myself.”

 

“I don’t doubt it,” Poe said, stepping forward.  “Kansas,” he added with a smile.

 

Finn grabbed Poe’s collar and pulled him in.  They were nose to nose.  “Don’t. Call. Me. Kansas.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Poe breathed out.  His face was hot and flushed. 

 

“That’s better,” Finn whispered.  He smiled as he felt Poe shiver.

 

Jess cleared her throat.  “This is great, you two, but maybe you could flirt later.  You know, when Rey hasn’t been kidnapped?”

 

“Kidnapped?!?”

 

**# # # #**

 

Rey’s eyes shot daggers at Kylo Ren.  He removed the gag.  “Where am I?”

 

“You’re my guest,” he said in a low voice.

 

“Let me go.”

 

“No,” he said, sitting across from her.  “Not until Han Solo pays up.”

 

“What?”

 

“Han Solo is going to be worried sick that his little girl is missing, and then he’s going to pay us the ransom to let you go.  Of course, by then…”

 

“Are you insane?”

 

“No,” he screamed.  “I’m just taking what’s rightfully mine.  What you and that…gutter snipe stole from me!”

 

“You ran away!”

 

“You stole it from me,” he yelled, slapping her.  He put the gag back on and stormed away.

 

**# # # #**

 

Han’s car came to a screeching halt outside of Miss Phasma’s.  He jumped out.

 

Finn ran down the sidewalk.  “Papa?”

 

_Papa?_   Poe was certain his misheard until…

 

“Finn!”  Han ran to his son and enveloped him in a bear hug.  “Thank goodness you’re okay.  Where’s your sister?”

 

“Kidnapped,” came a voice from behind him.

 

Han spun around.  “Leia?”

 

“Hello, Han.”

 

Karé and Snap pulled a struggling Phasma out of the hotel.  Snap pushed the tall woman into the back of a squad car and said, “Luke, Leia, I’m going to take her down to the precinct, see if we can get anything out of her.”

 

“Keep us updated,” Luke said.  He stepped forward and extended a hand to Han, who shook it. 

 

“Good to see you, kid,” Han said.

 

Poe’s gaze hadn’t left Han and Finn.  _That would explain why Han was keeping an eye on things._ Poe shook his head.  _I’m such an idiot!_

 

“Do we know for certain that Rey was kidnapped,” Finn asked.

 

“Yes,” Han said as he produced the ransom note.  The group crowded around it.

 

“Wait, the Kenobi warehouse,” Jess said, “isn’t that close to Finalizer Industries?”

 

“Yeah, it’s in the same complex,” Han said.  “Why?”

 

“Snoke does a lot of work for Finalizer.  I’ve been typing up letter after letter about Finalizer for Mr. Hux,” Jess said.  Then, she realized, “I was supposed to deliver a letter this afternoon.”  Jess swayed a bit on her feet.

 

Poe grabbed her arm.  “Steady, Pava.”

 

“That’s where they’re taking the girls,” Leia said.

 

“What,” Han asked.

 

“We’ve been trying to catch a break on these disappearances.  Young girls—most of them are poor and all of them are orphans—they’ve been going missing for the past few months.  We knew that Phasma was connected somehow and we could draw a line to Hux and Ben, but we didn’t know how they were taking them or where.”

 

Poe looked to Chewie.  “You gotta map in the car?”  Chewie nodded, reached in and handed it to Poe, who spread it over the front hood. 

 

He pointed to the warehouses near the docks.  “This is the Kenobi warehouse and this,” he pointed nearby, “is Finalizer Industries.  My guess is they were luring the girls to these two spaces.”  He looked at Jess.  “Having them deliver letters.  Or maybe sending them to fake auditions?”  Then, he pointed to a green area a few blocks away.  “Starkiller Park.  I’d be willing to bet they were luring the girls down there somehow as well.”

 

“Kriffing hell,” Karé said.  “That makes sense.”

 

“Okay, so now that we know where, we can strike,” Leia said.

 

“I don’t care what project you’ve been working on,” Han said.  “Our first priority is Rey.”

 

“Yeah,” Finn seconded.  “I’m just here to get Rey.”

 

Leia and Luke shared a look.

 

Luke said, “We’ll split up.  Han, you, Chewie, and Finn take Kenobi Warehouse.  Get Rey.  The rest of us will hit Finalizer Industries.  Poe, you put a call into Snap, tell him what we’re doing and ride with him and the rest of the police down to the warehouse, okay?”

 

Everyone started scrambling.  Jess grabbed Finn’s arm.  “Bring my girl back, okay?” 

 

Finn nodded.  He turned to get into the car when he met Poe’s eyes.  Poe looked angry for some reason.  Finn opened his mouth to say something when Han yelled, “Come on, Finn!”

 

**# # # #**

 

They’d left her alone, which was their second mistake. 

 

The first had been not searching her thoroughly.  Rey kept a small knife on her at all times, a holdover from her days in Hell’s Kitchen.  _You can take the girl off the streets_ , she thought to herself as she maneuvered it into her hands.

 

**# # # #**

 

She smiled as the ropes fell away.  Her hands were free.  She leaned over and began untying her legs.

 

Phasma had drugged her, so she wasn’t quite sure where she was or how long she’d been there.  Rey frowned.  _Need to find a way out of here and then need to find a way to call Finn and Papa Han.  Oh yeah, and probably the police._

Rey crept towards the door to the room.  She leaned against it and listened.  Nothing.  She very slowly tried the doorknob.  _Seriously!  These guys are amateurs_.  She crept through the door and began scanning the space for weapons.

 

**# # # #**

 

They pulled to a stop just down the block from the front of the warehouse.

 

“So what’s the plan?”

 

“Walk in and get Rey back,” Han said, pulling a gun from a holster on his ankle.

 

“Maybe we don’t do something that might get her killed,” Finn said.  Chewie nodded in agreement.

 

“Okay, fine, what’s your brilliant plan, son?”

 

Finn took a deep breath.  “I think I should walk in the front door.  Pretend to have the ransom.  You two sneak in the back.”

 

“No,” Han said.

 

“Papa!”

 

“No, I should walk in the front door,” Han said, “You and Chewie go around back.”

 

“You sure?”

 

Han nodded.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Snap, could you please move a bit faster,” Poe said, practically hopping from foot to foot.  “We don’t have much time.”

 

“Yeah, I get that, Dameron,” Snap said. 

 

An officer came running up to Snap.  “She’s willing to talk, tell us everything about the operation.  She’s gonna give us Hux and Ren on a silver platter.”

 

“Great.  Have Jenkins keep on working her.  I’m taking Biggs, Wedge, Kanata, and Iolo down to Finalizer, check out that lead.”  Snap grabbed a gun out of his desk drawer and handed it to Poe.  “If anyone asks, you don’t remember where you got this, okay?”

 

**# # # #**

 

Leia opened the trunk of her car and began passing out weapons.  “Here is how this is going to go.  Karé, you and Jess take the south entrance.  Even if it sets off an alarm, just go in and do what you have to do to find those girls.  Luke, you’ve got the west entrance.  I’m going to walk in the front door and raise high holy hell.  Okay?”

 

Everyone murmured their agreement.

 

“Let’s go,” Leia said.

 

**# # # #**

 

Rey was creeping down a hallway when she heard a door open.  She jumped into the nearest room, waiting.  Two figures walked past her in the hall.  She grabbed the lead pipe she’d found and crept from the room.

 

The two figures spun.

 

She raised the pipe.

 

“Rey?”

 

“Finn!”  Rey jumped forward into her brother’s arms.

 

Suddenly, they were both enveloped by Chewie.

 

“You came for me!”

 

“Of course, we came for you, you idiot,” Finn said and then, “Thank god you’re safe.”

 

“Where’s papa,” Rey asked.

 

Finn frowned.

 

**# # # #**

 

“Ben,” Han yelled.  “I know you’re here.  Ben!”

 

“The name is Kylo Ren.”

 

“Your name is Ben, son.”

 

“Don’t call me that!  I’m not your son anymore,” Kylo sneered.  “Or have you conveniently forgotten your replacement son?”

 

“Finn’s not a replacement.”

 

“Right,” Kylo said.  He stepped forward into the meager light of the warehouse.  “You have the money?”

 

Han gripped the briefcase.  “Yes.  Where’s Rey?”

 

“She’s safe.”

 

“I’m not letting go of this without seeing her first.”

 

Somewhere deeper in the building, a shot rang out.  Then, another.

 

Both men were startled.

 

“You traitor,” Kylo screamed, shooting at his father.    


Han ducked.  The shot went wide.  But it was soon followed by more.

 

Amidst the gunfire, Han scrambled for cover, shooting blindly over his shoulder as he dove behind a crate.

 

**# # # #**

 

Luke had about six guards pinned in an office.  They were trading shots.  He could hear the screams of what sounded like dozens of young women coming from somewhere below them.  _I hope Karé and Jess are there._

 

There were sirens in the distance.

 

Luke smiled.  “Give up.  There’s no way you make it out of this alive otherwise.”

 

**# # # #**

 

The guard was screaming to his friend, “This one’s a bearcat,” as he tried to get the short woman off his back.  She was clawing at his eyes and pulling his hair.  “Shoot her!”

 

A tall, dark-skinned woman suddenly appeared next to his friend, pointing a gun at his temple.  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

 

"Thanks, Karé," Jess said, a clump of the guard's hair hanging from her fingers.

 

**# # # #**

 

There was an explosion somewhere in the warehouse.

 

Suddenly, there was smoke everywhere. 

 

Han was coughing.  “Rey!  Finn!  Ben!”

 

He crouched down, trying to find his way to a door.

 

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed him and he heard the familiar lilt of Czech. 

 

“Good to see you too, Chewie.”

 

They ran outside.

 

**# # # #**

Finn was trying to take it all in.  There were firemen and police everywhere, not to mention the young women Luke and Leia had freed and a number of bystanders.

 

Through the chaos, he spotted Poe talking to a policeman.  He jogged over.  “Poe!”

 

Poe turned and frowned.  He said something to the policeman, who walked away.

 

“Poe, are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, I’m good.”

 

“Poe?  What’s wrong?”

 

Poe stood there, stone faced.

 

“Poe?”

 

Poe took in a deep breath.  “You’re Han’s son?”

 

_Oh._   “Yeah.”

 

“So, what was all of this?  You and Rey pretending to be poor—was it all some sort of joke?  Come down to the city, see how the other half lives?”

 

“What?  No!  Nothing like that.  I promise.”

 

Leia yelled out, “Poe, can you come here?”

 

“Poe,” Finn asked.

 

“I need to see what Leia wants.”

 

“Poe, we need to—”

 

“Not right now,” Poe snapped, jogging off.

 

“Sure,” Finn said.  “We’ll talk later.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left...


	8. You Were Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's back to Leia's to tie up loose ends.

 

“So there was no sign of him,” Leia asked.

 

“No,” Snap said.  “We’re gonna send another team in as soon as the firemen give us the all-clear, but preliminary reports are that he escaped.”

 

Leia didn't know whether to feel relieved or anxious at that. 

 

Han wrapped his arms around her.  He asked, “What about the other one, Hux?”

 

“No.  He got away as well.  The good news is, we have Phasma and about three dozen young women who are going to testify against the lot of them.”

 

“Good,” Han said, pulling Leia in a bit tighter.  “Good.”

 

**# # # #**

 

The sun was rising before the police had finished questioning them.

 

When they had, the group gathered—tired and dirty—just outside the smoldering warehouse.

 

“Come on,” Leia said.  “Let’s all go back to my place, rest and regroup.”

 

Jess and Rey jumped into the car with Han and Chewie.  Karé and Snap got into the car with Luke and Leia.  Poe considered just getting lost in the crowd and was about to slink away when someone grabbed his shoulder.  “Not so fast, Dameron.”

 

“Please, Finn.  I’m tired.  I just want to go back to my place and rest.”

 

“Not until we’ve talked.”

 

Han stuck his head out of the car.  “You coming, kid?”

 

“We’ll take a cab, papa.  See you there.”

 

“Finn, I really don’t—”

 

“Poe Dameron, you are going to get in the cab with me and hear me out.  Understood?”  Finn took Poe’s good arm and drug him to the street where he hailed a cab. 

 

After he’d given the cabbie Leia’s address, Finn leaned back, waiting for Poe to say something.  Finally, Finn asked, “How do you know papa?”

 

 _Papa?_   Poe shook his head at that.  “Han was friends with my dad growing up, and Ben and I grew up together.  Well, at least until…”  Poe sighed.  “Didn’t see Han as much after Ben ran away.  Knew he’d adopted some kids and moved out of the city but…”  He turned to study Finn.  “I didn’t know anything about you two, really.  He never talked about you when we…”

 

“We?”

 

Poe said, “Yeah, after Han’s split with Leia, he cut pretty much everyone out of his life.  But…well, he never did get over Leia.  Hell, you have to know how much he loves her.”

 

“Yeah,” Finn said.

 

“Anyway, he knew that she and I were close, so we worked out a deal.  About once a year, he’d track me down and I’d tell him how she was doing.  Let him know she was okay.”

 

Finn nodded.

 

“What he didn’t know was that Leia’s always known about our deal.  She figured it was an easy way to keep an eye on him as well.”

 

Finn was thoughtful for a moment.  Then, he said, “So you’ve been keeping an eye on both of them because they’re too stubborn to talk things out like adults?”

 

“Yep,” Poe said.

 

Finn smiled.  “So, I guess the question is, are you going to be stubborn like them or are you going to be an adult and talk things out with me?”

 

“Finn, it isn’t that easy.”

 

“Oh yes, it is, Poe.”

 

Poe shot Finn an annoyed look.  Finn’s grin grew.

 

“Fine.  You wanna talk, we’ll talk.  Why don’t we start with you telling me what a swell like you is doing slumming it at Resistance.”

 

“We weren’t slumming it,” Finn said.

 

“Yeah, well, you also didn’t have to be there, did you,” Poe asked.  “So why were you there?”

 

“It was Rey’s idea,” Finn said, “to come live in the city.  She had this harebrained notion that we needed some adventure in our lives.”  Finn scrubbed his hands over his face.  “I guess we got that.”

 

“Yeah,” Poe said.  “And then some.” 

 

Finn waited for Poe to continue.  When he didn’t, Finn frowned.  “What’s really bothering you, Poe?”

 

One thought had been rolling around in Poe’s head since he’d first realized Finn was Han Solo’s son: _There’s no way a rich guy like him ends up with a poor slob like me._ “Nothing.”

 

**# # # #**

 

“Okay, so let me get this straight, you’re not Rey Kenobi?  You’re Rey Solo?  As in Solo Shipping—that Solo?”

 

“Yep,” Rey said.  “And this is my papa.”  She turned to Han.  “Papa Han, this is Jess.  Jess, this is Papa Han.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” Jess said, holding out a hand.

 

Han started to grumble out a reply when Rey hit his arm.  “Play nice, papa.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Jess.”

 

“That’s better,” Rey said with a huge smile on her face.

 

**# # # #**

 

The sun was shining when they all walked out onto the back patio.  Leia’s servants had set up a series of tables with all sorts of breakfast foods on them.  Jess was pretty sure she’d died and gone to heaven.  She shot Poe a look.  _We’ve made it!_

He tried to smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

 

Leia said, “I figured we could all use something to eat before turning in.  I’m having my people make up the guest rooms, so when you’re ready, just ask.”

 

They mostly ate in silence, everyone contemplating what had happened the night before.

 

Once Jess had eaten two plates full, Rey stood up and led Jess to a nearby bench.  “Thanks for coming to get me.”

 

Jess smiled.  “From what I hear, you didn’t need much help getting away from those two creeps.”

 

Rey laughed.  “True.  They did a horrible job of kidnapping me.”

 

Jess frowned and took Rey’s hand.  “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in all my life.”

 

Rey squeezed her hand.  “It’s okay.  I’m right here, _sweetie_.”

 

“Ugh.  We’re gonna have to come up with something better than _sweetie._ ”

 

“Any ideas,” Rey asked.

 

“Not a one,” Jess said.

 

“You never had any backup names ready as part of _the plan_?”

 

Jess closed her eyes.  “You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?”

 

“Nope,” said Rey with a huge smile.  “I’m gonna remind you of _the plan_ every chance I get for the rest of our lives.”

 

“The rest of our lives, eh?  That’s a pretty long time,” Jess said.

 

Rey moved closer to Jess.  “Yes, it is.”

 

Jess scooted a bit closer to Rey.  “You sure about this,” she whispered.

 

Rey tugged on Jess’s hand, pulling her forward.  “Positive,” she said, slowly leaning in to kiss Jess.

 

Finn smiled, watching Rey and Jess, and turned to say something to Poe when he noticed Poe walking off towards the far end of the garden.

 

“And just where do you think you’re going,” Finn said, jogging up to him.

 

“Back to Resistance Towers,” Poe said.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because that’s where I belong,” Poe said.  “Heck, Finn, you and Rey and well, I guess Jess now, you have your big fancy lives to lead and I…”

 

Finn cocked his head to the side.  “Please tell me you aren’t gonna start in on that.  Because I’ve got to tell you, I think pitiful Poe Dameron might actually be worse than cocky Poe Dameron.”

 

“I’m not being pitiful.  I’m being practical!  Dammit, Finn, I’m a stunt pilot in a two-bit air show.  I’m nothing special.  You’re…You’re a freaking…wait what would I call you?”

 

“An heir?”

 

“Yeah, you’re a kriffing heir!  You should be with other heirs and heiresses doing whatever it is you people do.  You are so far out of my league.”

 

“Really?”  Finn shook his head.  “That’s what this is all about?”  Finn took Poe’s arm and pulled him even further away from the others.  “Rey and I grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, Poe.  In the two years before I met Papa Han, I was a pickpocket and a thief and…you think Bee was bad?  I could’ve given that girl a run for her money.”  Finn gestured at the gardens around them.  “I didn’t come from all this.  But Han, he saw past all of that.  He gave us a home and he gave us a family.  And now, I’m offering the same to you.”  Finn crossed his arms in front of him.  “Unless…  Is this your way of letting me down gently?”

 

“Kriff no, Finn!  I just…”

 

Finn stepped right up into his space.  “What, flyboy?”

 

“I…”  Poe was clearly flustered.  Finn smirked.  Poe said, “You know, I think I liked it better when you were a clueless rube, Kansas.”

 

Finn growled.  "I was never a clueless rube, flyboy.  And," he leaned forward, “stop calling me Kansas.”

 

There was suddenly a twinkle in Poe's eyes.  “Or what,” Poe asked, closing the gap between them, “Kansas?”

 

“Or this,” Finn whispered, as he wrapped his hands around Poe’s waist and pressed his lips to Poe’s. 

 

“Get a room,” Snap yelled.

 

“No, no rooms,” Han said.  “There will be no rooms.  Or, I mean, there will be rooms, but they’ll be _separate_ rooms.”

 

Leia laughed.  “A bit overprotective are we, _Papa_ Han?”

 

Han shook his head.  “Yeah, well, fat lot of good it’s gonna do me.”  He nodded his chin towards the garden bench where Jess and Rey were currently wrapped around each other.

 

“I’m guessing we’re going to need to prepare for a double wedding sometime soon,” said Luke, smiling.

 

“Wedding?  No one mentioned a wedding,” Han protested.

 

“Actually,” Rey said, pushing away from Jess, “we sort of did.”

 

“We did,” Jess asked.

 

“Well, yeah, that’s what the _rest of our lives_ stuff meant, right?”

 

“Oh,” Jess said quietly.

 

“Unless you don’t want to,” Rey said.

 

“No,” Jess said.  “I mean yes!  I mean, of course I want to marry you.”  Her eyes filled with tears.  “That’s been the plan all along,” she whispered as she brushed her lips against Rey’s.

 

“Oh, sweetie,” Rey mumbled into her lips.  And then, they were kissing again.

 

Han closed his eyes and shook his head.  He turned to Finn and Poe.  “I suppose this means you two want to get married too?”  Han waited a moment.  "Finn?  Finn!"

 

“Hmmmm?” Finn stepped back from Poe, his lips swollen.  For a moment, he just blinked, seemingly mesmerized by Poe Dameron's lips.  “What?  Oh yeah.  Of course.  Married."  Finn smiled and turned to his father.  "Right away.” 

 

Poe’s eyes never left Finn’s lips.  “Today,” Poe murmured in a daze, already leaning back in for another kiss.

 

“No, no today,” Han said.  “No one is getting married today.  If we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do it right.  Okay?”  He frowned.  “Poe?  Finn?  Rey?  Jess?  Anyone?”

 

None of them were budging.

 

“Oh, I give up,” Han said.

 

Leia snaked an arm around her ex-husband and leaned her head into his side.  “Why don’t we give the lovebirds a little space and we’ll work out the particulars later?”

 

He wrapped an arm around her and sighed.  He’d missed the warmth of her, if nothing else.  “Okay, fine,” he huffed.  He kissed the top of her head.  “But no one is getting married today,” he grumbled as she led him inside.

 

“Whatever you say, _papa_ ,” she said, patting his back and laughing.

 

As the rest of the group left the gardens, Rey broke off from Jess just long enough to shout to her brother, “I told you coming to the city was going to be fun.”

 

Finn smiled against Poe’s lips and quit kissing his fiancée just long enough to yell back, “You were right, Rey.  You were definitely right.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed my little excursion into the 1920s/Thoroughly Modern Millie territory. 
> 
> Heartfelt thanks to all of you who left comments and kudos!

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be posting chapters daily.
> 
> I'm @cha-llamala on tumblr, and I always like to hear from my readers: kudos and comments make me smile.


End file.
